Chelsea have expressed curiosity in signing Mainz’s extremely rated centre-back Kacper Potulski, in response to Florian Plettenberg.
Potulski started his profession within the youth system at Lechia Gdańsk in northern Poland earlier than shifting to Legia Warsaw in 2021. After two years within the capital, Mainz secured his signature in the summertime of 2023.
The 18-year-old made a powerful impression beneath former FSV head coach Bo Henriksen throughout pre-season and on the membership’s summer season coaching camp, although he was handed only one league begin throughout Henriksen’s tenure. Since Urs Fischer took cost in Rheinhessen, Potulski has featured extra prominently, making six additional Bundesliga appearances.
Throughout all competitions this season, Potulski has made 18 appearances, registering one aim and one help within the Bundesliga and UEFA Convention League. Nonetheless, his defensive output stands out most. He’s averaging 4.9 duels received per recreation and eight.7 recoveries per 90 minutes, which has caught the eye of a number of golf equipment.
In keeping with Plettenberg, Potulski is attracting curiosity from a number of golf equipment, together with Chelsea, who’ve joined the race to signal the Poland U21 worldwide centre-back.
The Blues’ youth recruitment drive includes a possible mortgage transfer to sister membership Strasbourg, and the identical is true for Potulski, because the German switch knowledgeable provides that the London giants are already plotting a mortgage for the teenager to hitch the Alsatian outfit to develop additional.
Prospect
Nonetheless, the 6ft 4in ahead is extremely regarded throughout Europe, with AC Milan, Inter Milan, Como, Brighton, and Brentford set to compete with Chelsea for his signature, in response to the report.
Chelsea are already properly stocked with promising centre-back expertise throughout each their academy and senior setup. Josh Acheampong has been totally built-in into the first-team squad, whereas Mamadou Sarr can also be a part of the membership’s long-term plans after being recalled from a mortgage spell at Strasbourg.
As well as, the Blues reached an settlement in precept in November to signal extremely rated Colombian defender Deinner Ordóñez from Independiente del Valle as soon as he turns 18, additional strengthening an already youthful defensive pipeline.
Given the depth of rising expertise, Chelsea could not must prioritise one other younger centre-back. As an alternative, there’s a robust case for including expertise to the again line.
If Liam Rosenior is trying to convey better stability and management to the defence, focusing on a confirmed, established defender might show extra useful than recruiting one other prospect who could require time to adapt to the calls for of the Premier League.
