Chelsea can forget Xhaka by signing their new £80m Kante

Chelsea are in low form, but Xabi Alonso is building something at Stamford Bridge, and there is hope that the Blues will be challenging for the title again next season.

Perhaps it is a measure of Chelsea’s ability to fight for trophies that even last season, due to such damage, they reached the final of the FA Cup.

But with Marc Cucurella sold to Real Madrid, and Enzo Fernandez looking to make an exit himself, there is an undeniable sense that Chelsea are losing their dominant force, and the slump in the Premier League reflects that.

Long gone are the days of N’Golo Kante and Cesc Fabregas marching and making moves in the middle of the park. Replacing someone like Kante is easier said than done, but Chelsea need to identify players who can drive this project to a higher level.

BlueCo have decided that Andrey Santos, for all his abilities, is not the man for the job, and the Brazilian will be sold to rivals Manchester United.

Why it’s time for Santos to leave Chelsea

Santos returned to Chelsea from Strasbourg last summer with the wind in his sails. He was outstanding under France’s Liam Rosenior, hailed as a “duel monster” with “everything you want in a midfielder” by commentator Ben Mattinson.

But he started just 13 times in the Premier League last term, and left a lot to be desired. It was as if Santos lacked the ease and confidence that inspired him during his time in France, that he failed to take opponents by the scruff of the neck and give Chelsea everything they needed in the heart of the pitch.

Fernandez’s future in west London may be uncertain, but Moises Caicedo signed a new seven-year contract in April, casting doubt on Santos’ hopes of playing a key role in the next few years.

Some would consider selling him to Man United a risky gamble, but the Red Devils paid £50m for his signature, and it’s hard to say that’s not good business from Todd Boehly and company.

Santos, 22, is full of potential, but he’s not the only up-and-coming talent, and if Chelsea can replace him with a better midfielder, Alonso could be laughing past the Old Trafford side next season.

A bid for Sunderland’s Granit Xhaka is looking tough, but the temporary relief the veteran Swiss midfielder could offer could be dwarfed by the arrival of a big-money Premier League star who could be Kante’s new form of Chelsea.

How Alonso can get Chelsea’s new Kante

Chelsea have added Marco Palestra to their ranks this summer, while Geovany Quenda’s move to Stamford Bridge has been confirmed. These are strong players, but Chelsea need someone with Premier League experience to help propel them up the table.

This calls for a strengthening of the field, even if Fernandez stays. Xhaka is an interesting target, but the Blues could do with a long-term addition that could have a Kante-esque effect.

Bournemouth’s Alex Scott could be that man. According to Chelsea insider Simon Phillips, the 22-year-old midfielder could be the subject of a bid for the Blues as Man United have moved for Santos. Talks are said to have started with the player’s camp.

Scott has been of great interest to United, but it seems unlikely they will meet the £80m price tag required to sign the England international, leaving Chelsea with a clear shot at one of the most exciting players in the division.

Signing Scott would be an interesting proposition for Chelsea, not least because the Guernsey-born midfielder “is permanently at Tottenham”, according to content creator Seb Martin. He has played 89 times for the Cherries, and has been central to Andoni Iraola’s successful side.

Whether he will leave a legacy alongside Kante’s at Stamford Bridge is one question, but his soft, technical style is backed up by the composure and ball-handling skills Kante used to cement his ambitions in the English game – and they were ambitions he certainly achieved.

According to analyst Raj Chohan, “Scott is very good at finding himself in space and making the right passing decisions.” He is logical and willing to strengthen the bond, both in possession and when he focuses on recovering the ball.

He is still young, but he is already showing the maturity that Santos has failed to imitate so far, and in that, it can prove to be a real jackpot signing for this Chelsea team, which will be able to find a lot of space to be a world-class store under the manager Alonso who is famous for his tactical expertise, opening levels for his players.

Scott is no Kante, but his pace and brilliance in midfield could see him play a midfield role similar to the French legend, especially if he thinks he will be supported by the struggling Caicedo.

Scott, crucially, is different in profile from Santos. He is flexible and has an impact on the ball. He may not, in this case, be a carbon copy of someone like Kante, but he could end up enjoying the same effect as the diminutive French midfielder who arrived from Leicester City and achieved (more) greatness.

Like Kante, Scott has plenty of Premier League experience which could prove useful to a struggling Chelsea side. The Blues won the 16/17 title in Kante’s first season, having finished 10th last year.

This could be an important signing for Chelsea. Can they get over the line, giving Alonso a quick upgrade to a midfielder who played a minor role in a struggling team last season?