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Four potential left back signings for Chelsea for the last two weeks of the transfer window

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Regarding Chelsea, sometimes the easy decision has been the hardest one to see actually materialize.

By all accounts, Nathan Aké put together a very solid campaign as a regular in Watford's lineup and many pegged him to at least be included in the Chelsea squad for the preseason. Which is precisely why he was promptly sent on loan again. Leaving Baba Rahman as the only natural left back in the first team ~*we interrupt this transmission for a breaking news bulletin! Baba Rahman got Königsblau'd!*~.

With the first match of the season in the books and Deadline Day™ steadily approaching, we take a look at some players Chelsea could acquire to address the need on the left defensive flank.

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RICARDO RODRIGUEZ (23 - Switzerland - VfL Wolfsburg)

Starting with probably the most popular and coveted on the list, while also surprisingly available. Rodriguez's situation seemed to be straightforward: back in June, he reportedly told the Wolfsburg brass that he wanted to leave this summer. And frankly, with an alleged buyout clause of €25m, I'm unsure why he's not in a Chelsea shirt already. But since that time, things have gone silent (half-baked links to Arsenal notwithstanding).

Hailed as one of the top two left backs in the Bundesliga for a bit now, Rodriguez's qualities should be well known. A gifted distributor of the ball, whether from a set piece or in open play, he has an eye for a cutting pass, and is adept at switching the point of attack with whipped balls across the field. Ricardo is also a strong penalty-taker, and has found his name on the scoresheet regularly thanks to his spot- and free-kick abilities. His strong frame helps him in physical duels, both in the air and on the ground. He had a down year last season (3 goals and 4 assists in 36 apps all comps, after 10 goals 5 assists in 39 apps and 7 goals 10 assists in 38 games the previous two seasons). Showing remarkable discipline, Rodriguez has amassed just 8 yellow cards in 9861 mins the last three years. For comparison, Azpilicueta (9) and Ivanovic (8) had the same amount last year alone.

A borderline elite player still on the younger side (turning 24 later this month), if he has even the slightest chance of moving, Chelsea should be all over it.

JONAS HECTOR (26 - Germany - FC Köln)

Hector has been a consistent feature in the Köln lineup since debuting in 2012 at age 22. He nabbed a 2.Bundesliga title and a team Player of the Year award in successive seasons and has broken into Die Mannschaft thanks to his consistently good form. Recording solid numbers in defensive categories (all per game: 2.41 interceptions, 1.56 tackles won, 1 successful take on, 2.47 aerial duels won, and 3.06 clearances) shows his diligence to the task. Admittedly, the statistics might be a bit inflated because of how much defending Köln had to do, but that should take nothing away from the talents and qualities of Hector. Many people speculate he could become even better offensively playing in a team with more possession (Koln were tied for 2nd bottom in the Bundesliga last season, with 46.2%). He has even stepped into midfield on occasion, and acquitted himself well when the team needed him in a different role.

Hector possesses a good mix of height, athleticism and intelligence, with a real strength lyin positioning, pressing, and adaptability. His crossing can be good, but he also had the most crosses blocked in the Bundesliga last year. Not the most gifted dribbler — he prefers to move the ball forward quickly and interplay with teammates — though the numbers suggest he can make a defender miss on occasion (2 successful take ons per game in 14-15). Many clubs could make great use of a player with his well-rounded skillset. Games like this one against Borussia Dortmund really showcase his multi-faceted arsenal.

And now the bad news: Hector signed a new contract with Köln on Saturday. That's what happens when you leave your transfer dealings (and writing) until the season starts.

FAOUZI GHOULAM (25 - Algeria - SSC Napoli)

Switching leagues, Ghoulam is nowadays heralded as one of the finest fullbacks in Italy. He's another player with good size and aggressiveness on both ends of the pitch; his power and direct running style is a great asset for going at opposing defenses. Ghoulam also gets stuck in on the defensive end, and loves a good slide tackle (yet is able to stay away from cautions — just 3 all of last season). His strengths are his height and pace, along with aggression and dynamic dribbling style which leads to him being fouled a decent amount.

I'm sure he has picked up some Italian being in Naples, and with Conte as the manager that would smooth out any initial LANGuage barrier should a move actually materialize. But then again, dealing with De Laurentiis is akin to climbing over a tall electrified fence with barbed wire at the top; you're bound to get shocked and sliced to ribbons, and you might not even make it to where you want to go.

MATTIA DE SCIGLIO (23 - Italy - AC Milan)

De Sciglio represents an easy parallel to draw based on his time under Conte with the national team. A versatile fullback able to play both flanks, he hasn't yet blossomed since breaking through at a young age. Encouragingly though, he is still just 23, and back healthy after a couple years battling injuries. In 29 matches last season he played virtually even time on both flanks (15 apps at left back, 14 at right back). De Sciglio had a rocky club campaign, with new signing Luca Antonelli getting the bulk of the time at left back; still, he did improve his prospects with a solid outing at the Euros, and Milan (who are well-stocked at fullback) could cash in.

Napoli had been linked with the player earlier this summer, failing with a low bid. However, manager Vincenzo Montella yesterday said that a potential departure for the fullback might be out of his hands. A deal at this point doesn't look likely, but it could have a domino effect with regard to Ghoulam's availability. Elseid Hysaj, Napoli's right back is believed to be close to a five-year extension. Could that pave the way for De Sciglio to replace the left back? I doubt Mattia would move at this point to be purely depth, even if Napoli are a step above Milan at the moment.

From Chelsea's perspective, I wouldn't be enamoured with a move for De Sciglio. He doesn't compare well statistically with the other players mentioned, nor has he shown enough on the field to warrant challenging for a starting spot in London. Being an inverted fullback is not ideal either, and he does give the impression of being too similar to Azpilicueta, though not as good. And if Milan's rumoured asking price of €25m is true, I'd prefer Chelsea to use our resources elsewhere.

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A puzzling recent trend of loaning before securing replacements has given Chelsea another position to fortify ahead of a pivotal campaign. With the clock ticking and the season already underway, the club need to move fast if they don't want to go into the year with even more question marks at defense.

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