With the departures of David Luiz and Frank Lampard, Chelsea may be feeling a little bit short when it comes to central midfielders. That could explain why their Portuguese manager is believed to be looking at signing compatriot William Carvalho.
A defensive midfielder plying his trade in his native country with Sporting Lisbon, Carvalho played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and company at this summer’s World Cup. Despite Portugal failing to get out of their group, a couple of impressive performances really enhanced the 22-year-old’s reputation.
According to the Mirror, Jose Mourinho is ready to make an offer for Carvalho in the hope that Sporting Lisbon are willing to part with the young midfielder. The player is reported to be rated at around £30 million by his club, but Chelsea are considering a player-plus-cash deal
Should the Blues sign him, they would be getting a player with a wealth of international experience, with Carvalho having represented Portugal at every level from under-17 prior to his debut for the senior side in November. However, the same can not be said for the midfielder at club level, with loan spells in the Portuguese third division and with Belgian side Cercle Brugge his only playing experience away from limited game time in Lisbon.
Despite his relative inexperience when compared to the players who regularly feature in Mournho’s starting lineups, everyone has to make their name somewhere. And, if Chelsea are lucky, they may just uncover a gem of the future in Carvalho.