Chelsea are interested in signing Matthias Ginter from Borussia Mönchengladbach on a free transfer next summer, according to reports from the Metro and The Express.
After four seasons with the German side, Ginter’s contract is set to expire in 2021, with the Blues looking to recruit the central defender to bolster their backline.
Considering the West London side conceded an astonishing 54 goals in the Premier League this season – four more than 14th-placed Crystal Palace – the move makes sense, but it is surprising that they are willing to wait so long for their man.
Chelsea need Ginter, and they need him now.
Signing Matthias Ginter Will Help to Fix Chelsea’s Leaky Defence
A Rock at the Back
While the Blues have a number of talented defenders in their squad, they are frustratingly inconsistent, managing only nine clean sheets in the league this season.
Much like the signing of Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool, the recruitment of a defender capable of producing consistent, solid performances at the back could help Chelsea to become title challengers once more.
Ginter is one of the most reliable centre backs in the Bundesliga, averaging four clearances and 1.1 interceptions a game – 1.2 and 0.3 more than Antonio Rüdiger respectively.
Where Chelsea’s error-prone backline has caused issues for Frank Lampard‘s side all season, Ginter has helped his team to win the fourth-most duels in the German league, injecting a much-needed stubbornness into the Mönchengladbach defence.
A Leader
The centre back would also give Chelsea the calm, vocal presence they desperately need.
As Germany manager Joachim Löw recently said: “He has a certain calmness about him, which is what makes him so solid, reliable and dependable.”
Ginter’s extensive experience and unbreakable cool would help to instil a sense of composure to the Blues’ often hapless backline, whose lack of organisation has led to 10 goals conceded from corners in the Premier League.
Ex-Chelsea player Glenn Hoddle recently identified the need for a defensive leader at Chelsea, arguing: “Someone needs to be pulling people around and they’ll cut half the goals their conceding with a player like that.”
Ginter could be that player.
Calm on the Ball
The Mönchengladbach defender’s calmness has helped him to become an effective ball-playing defender, too, proving key for his team’s commitment to building from the back.
This is another reason why Löw has given Ginter 29 caps for his country, with the World Cup-winning coach saying: “He’s dependable and he’s able to do what we want him to do, which is to help build the play up from the back.”
Lampard has committed to a philosophy of starting attacks from deep, and Ginter would slot perfectly into the system the Englishman is trying to build at Stamford Bridge.
The Importance of Buying Matthias Ginter Now
Chelsea’s decision to try and sign Ginter for free is certainly understandable, but it comes as something as a risk.
There are already rumours that top clubs including Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid are chasing his signature this summer, and the Metro believes that the German’s contract could automatically renew if he plays more than 25 times over the coming campaign.
Having been linked with big-money bids for Kalidou Koulibaly and Declan Rice, Matthias Ginter could prove to be a cheaper, yet equally effective, option for Chelsea this transfer window.
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