Chelsea could unearth a new offensive right-back of the highest quality after taking note of his performances at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
According to Spanish outlet Marca, the Blues are interested in signing full-back, Nahuel Molina, who plays for Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
He has played an integral role for Argentina in Qatar, indeed scoring the opening goal in the quarter-finals victory over the Netherlands, so Chelsea's scouts will likely have glowing reports, and a deal could be swiftly forged.
New Ivanovic
Branislav Ivanovic will go down as one of Chelsea’s most beloved full-backs, with his knack for goals and towering presence at the back cementing his spot across one of the most illustrious periods in the club’s distinguished history.
The Serbian powerhouse was not exactly blessed with pace and trickery but encapsulated the modern toolkit needed to flourish as a full-back for a top outfit.
Molina boasts quicker pace than Ivanovic, but his offensive prowess would certainly capture the attention of Chelsea fans like a firefly in a bottle, and leave him in good stead to effectively contribute with scores of goals and assists to get Stamford Bridge rocking.
The 24-year-old is known for his attacking instinct, having been the scorer of "beautiful" goals in the past, but has failed to make a single contribution across 18 appearances this term for Atletico, the polarity in boss Diego Simeone’s resilient, structured approach and the fortunes of offensive players evident.
However, his exploits in Qatar have reminded the football world that he possesses some of the best qualities a modern right-back can boast, demonstrating shades of the aforementioned Ivanovic.
As per Sofascore, the £34m-rated star has scored one goal and assist apiece at the World Cup, averaging 0.4 shots per match and completing 85% of his passes.
He has also recorded an average of 0.8 tackles per outing and has been a fine defender when called upon, absorbing the philosophy of Simeone and utilising his refined presence.
As per FBref, Molina ranks within the top 6% for non-penalty goals and the top 9% for progressive passes received when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year, illustrating his style of play and what he would bring to Potter’s Blues.
The £18k-per-week ace would be a fine addition to the Chelsea ship, which Potter is looking to steer in the right direction, towards the top four and towards silverware, and Molina is a player who can aid this pursuit.