5 players Chelsea should try to sign before the end of January

Ryan Bertrand

Outside of Marcos Alonso, the Blues don’t have a competent left wing-back on their roster. This could be a huge problem should Alonso get injured and miss a significant amount of time as Chelsea would rely on someone like Kenedy playing out of position and becoming a liability. Ryan Bertrand, a former Chelsea player, could be a huge addition to the squad in that aspect. He likely wouldn’t start over Alonso, but the ability to rotate the two would keep them both fresh and would provide options, especially during the packed Champions League weeks.

Bertrand is well accustomed to playing in the Premier League, having made 92 appearances for Southampton since he made the permanent move in 2015. He has become a staple of the Southampton defense that has been solid over the last few seasons and is an England international. He’s 28, so his playing years are on the decline, but he’s still a solid option on the left side of the defense.

This move would make sense for several reasons. First off, he’s a former Chelsea player and the organization is plenty familiar with him. Also, he’s hungry for playing time ahead of the World Cup this summer and will push Alonso to be better, a win-win scenario. He will be considerably less than, say, Alex Sandro, and will be a valuable addition for the depth he provides at a thin position. This move is a no-brainer for Chelsea.