On Wednesday night, Chelsea conceded an xG of 4.07 against Manchester United which was the second-highest xG a team have managed in a Premier League game this season, second only to the Blues' 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur back in November.
However, Spurs had ten men for little over a half-hour and ended the match with nine players. Meanwhile, Chelsea had their full eleven out at Old Trafford in midweek as United peppered 28 shots at Robert Sanchez. The 2-1 scoreline potentially flattered the visitors.
The London outfit looked wide open at the back and Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly in the market for a new centre-back to rectify his team's defensive woes this winter.
Chelsea transfer news – Jonathan Tah
According to BILD reporter Christian Falk, Chelsea are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Jonathan Tah this season, having been excellent for Bayer Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, with the German outfit rushing to the top of the Bundesliga.
The journalist is claiming that the Blues are eyeing up the Germany international as a replacement for veteran Thiago Silva.
Falk also reports that the 27-year-old centre-half has a release clause in his contract, although Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes revealed during the summer that Tah's £17m buyout clause had expired, allowing the side to negotiate their own asking price. The CIES Football Observatory has valued Tah at £25m which isn't too far off his original release clause.
Silva has been a tremendous servant for the Blues, having joined the club three-and-a-half years ago at the ripe age of 35. Former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter even admitted that the Brazilian's football brain is "above everybody" else.
However, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, a few months before his 40th birthday, Chelsea need to start looking at replacements and Tah could be the perfect choice.
Per 90 Metrics
Ranking in Europe
Touches
Top 19%
Touches In Middle Third
Top 11%
Successful Take-Ons
Top 17%
Carries
Top 20%
Passes Attempted
Top 22%
Passes Completed
Top 15%
Through Balls
Top 40%
Pass Completion
Top 3%
Long Pass Completion %
Top 3%
Goals
Top 16%
Shots On Target
Top 14%
Jonathan Tah's stats this season
During his early days with Leverkusen, former teammate Christoph Kramer described the centre-back as a "defensive battleship", but it is actually his stats in possession of the ball that make the German stand out. Tah is ranking very highly when compared to all other central defenders from Europe's top-five leagues this term in a host of possession-based metrics.
What would also make Tah a useful addition to Chelsea's squad is that, like Silva, he has played predominantly as the central centre-back in a three-man defensive line in and out of possession for Leverkusen under head coach Xabi Alonso. The Blues used the 3-4-2-1 system to great success under Thomas Tuchel during the team's run to European glory two years ago.
The idea from Tuchel was for the three centre-backs and two central midfielders to play short passes between themselves to entice the opposition's midfield to press, leaving gaps in behind. One player who was integral to the side's success under the current Bayern Munich boss was Antonio Rudiger.
Rudiger became a Chelsea player in 2017 for £29m during Antonio Conte's spell in charge and operated as both the middle centre-back and left-sided central defender. His displays at Stamford Bridge led Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand to call him "immense".
The former Roma star left Chelsea in 2022 on a free transfer but the Blues never quite replaced the sheer quality Rudiger brought to the backline.
Nevertheless, Tah could finally be the man to replace Rudiger and Silva and is statistically outperforming the duo in a number of defensive areas this term.
Goals
0.23
0
0.07
Expected Goals
0.07
0.04
0.02
Progressive Passes
3.76
2.65
2.93
Progressive Carries
0.45
0.7
0.07
Passes To Final Third
4.14
3.46
4.53
Tackles
1.15
1.08
1.13
Tackles Won
0.64
0.65
0.6
Clearances
3.89
3.3
4.13
Interceptions
0.47
0.38
0.87
Blocks
1.34
1.19
1.07
Aerial Duel Win %
82.1
70.9
77.8
Leverkusen are cruising at the top of the Bundesliga so perhaps Tah may not want to leave for a club who are going through somewhat of a crisis on the pitch at the moment. However, Chelsea would be getting a tremendous defender, should they manage to secure his services, and a player who would instantly improve their backline.