Hot off the press in Germany comes news from Bild that Bayer Leverkusenâs Benjamin Henrichs has attracted interest from Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Whatâs the story?
Well, carrying quotes from the teenage full-back, Bild elaborate on the playerâs admission that teams in England made their interest in him known last year, with Man United, Man City and Chelsea the suitors in question.
âAfter a national game in September 2015 with the German U19s in England, English clubs were interested.â
Interesting.
Although it remains unclear as to whether or not this âinterestâ remains, itâs sure to cause a stir among the clubsâ fanbases.
Is Henrichs any good?
Yep. The 19-year-old full-back is able to play on either flank and is just the latest in a long line of players churned out by the impressive youth academies in Germany. English football fans may not be all too aware of the starletâs qualities, but as the numbers from his Champions League showing against Spurs at Wembley last week show (below) heâs worth the fuss.
In terms of his playing style, Henrichs is defensively responsible with tackling one of his major strengths, although, as is the case with most young players, his positional awareness and concentration leave room for improvement. In a technical sense heâs an adept footballer, who is able to get up and down the flank and supply balls into the box - hinting that a wing-back role may suit him best.
Where would he fit in?
As mentioned before, a wing-back role appears to suit his skillset, making Chelsea an intriguing option. As things stand, the Blues are using a 3-4-3 set-up with Victor Moses shoehorned in on the right-had side. Although the Nigerian has impressed, his lack of defensive nous may eventually be found out, and Antonio Conte is sure to be on the lookout for a more orthodox option as he gets his long-term vision in place.
Man United, too, are shot of cover at full-back, with the right-side of their backline a particular problem area. The Red Devils are, in a similar vein, using a converted winger in Antonio Valencia at No.2, while there are question marks surrounding Matteo Darmianâs future, with the Italian having struggled since his move to Man United from Torino in 2015.
Man City were also mooted as an option, and with Pep Guardiolaâs men possessing worries on both sides at the back, Henrichs is a logical target, especially with the style of football the Spaniard is trying to bring in.
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