It is coming up to nearly three years since Antonio Rudiger left Chelsea, and the club have still not quite replaced him yet.
Chelsea do have some very good central defenders, such as Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana.
Colwill has a great relationship with Enzo Maresca and been a key player for the Blues this season. But the 22-year-old is nowhere near as dominant as Rudiger.
Fofana, on the other hand, can be a really aggressive centre-half. However, the Frenchman has just not been able to stay fit, which is one reason why Chelsea may very well need to sign a new centre-back this summer.
Ibrahima Konate can fill Antonio Rudiger hole
One central defender Chelsea could try to bring in when the transfer window opens is Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate.
It is being reported that Chelsea have already enquired about signing Konate, who is the kind of centre-half Maresca‘s squad is lacking.
A 25-year-old France international with over 120 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, Konate is an experienced defender.
Last season, the former RB Leipzig star also won 3.5 aerial duels per league game. Simply put, he is a strong, aggressive and dominant centre-back, just like Rudiger.
| Player | Aerial duels won |
| Ibrahima Konate (2023/24) | 3.5 |
| Levi Colwill (2024/25) | 2.5 |
| Wesley Fofana (2024/25) | 1.9 |
Konate’s injury record is a bit of a concern. The Frenchman has not missed as many games as Fofana has over the last few years, but it is something still worth mentioning.
Still, Konate is the kind of central defender Chelsea need right now. If there is a chance to sign him, then the Blues have to put themselves in contention for his signature.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande is another name Chelsea are considering ahead of the 2025 summer transfer window.
Virgil van Dijk on Ibrahima Konate
Konate has Virgil van Dijk’s seal of approval. Being the Premier League’s best defender, that is very encouraging for Chelsea supporters who may be skeptical about the France star.
When Van Dijk spoke to the BBC about Konate after one game earlier this season, he said: “I think we need everyone to be at their best. He is a fantastic player who still can be better.
“As you saw, he is important with the goal, he is defensively solid, a bit unlucky with the goal we conceded, but obviously the qualities he has are outstanding in my opinion.”
Liverpool will be reluctant to sell one of their top defenders, while Konate may see a move to Chelsea as a downgrade. But with his contract expiring in 2026, a transfer does not seem impossible.
Liverpool are keen on Colwill, but with the England international having a much longer contract than Konate, that one is definitely a non-starter.