Manchester United consider signing Ben Chilwell from Chelsea

Manchester United are considering Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell as an option to strengthen their left-back position, according to the Daily Mail.

The Reds are in the market for a new left-back after seeing Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia struggle with injuries throughout the 2023/24 season.

Manchester United have now turned their attention to Chilwell, who has been Chelsea’s main left-back since joining from Leicester City in 2020.

Chilwell is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge following the £14million arrival of Renato Veiga from Basel.

Marc Cucurella, who has seen his form improve, is likely to start with Viega as a substitute, meaning Chelsea can afford to let the Englishman go.

Chilwell has also been plagued by injury problems, which has hampered his form, making Manchester United’s interest in his services all the more ridiculous.

He made just 13 Premier League appearances last season (nine of which were a starter), creating three big chances while winning 53% of his duels.

The Blues will bite United’s hand if they make a bid for the Milton Keynes-born star.

The 27-year-old has lost his greatest asset, his athleticism, due to his numerous injuries and his sale will help strengthen Chelsea’s coffers.

Cucurella’s improvement in form from last season is notable, but he remains an erratic defender and his positioning remains somewhat suspect.

With the ball, he is unreliable. Full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues average around 4.03 progressive passes per 90 minutes, but Cucurella records 2.53. For comparison, Oleksandr Zinchenko records 11.9 per game.

He is also painfully below the average of 2.11 progressive runs per game for full-backs.

Cucurella’s crosses are poor, and his error-prone defensive style doesn’t help. Chelsea should consider replacing him with a more reliable left-back.