Madrid’s midfield destructor would be the perfect foil for Ramires at Chelsea

Following Sami Khedira’s comments that he felt as though he had been made into a ‘scapegoat’ at Real Madrid, the German could be on his way out of the Bernabeu, with Chelsea and Manchester United possible destinations. The Express recently reported that it is the London side who will secure Khedira’s signature in January with a £40 million bid, and, in a twisted kind of way, Man Utd supporters may be glad that they will miss out on another target.

This season, it has been obvious that the Red Devils have lacked a real creative force in central midfield – Michael Carrick, statistically his side’s most creative central midfielder, has created 12 chances so far this season. Despite David Moyes’ preference for wing-play, his side require a dynamic force in the middle of the pitch in order to prevent them from appearing one-dimensional.

Man United Top Chance Creators This Season

Khedira is not this man – instead, he is the type of midfielder who is capable of breaking up play and restricting the opposition’s attacks and time on the ball. This is evident by the mere eight chances which the German has created in his ten appearances for Real Madrid this season, and as such missing out on Khedira could prove to be a blessing in disguise for Manchester United.

Sami Khedira Chances Created

Chelsea, on the other hand, are equipped with creative midfielders – the likes of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata, Oscar and Frank Lampard all pose an attacking threat, meaning that this is not an area which their side needs strengthening in.

Instead, the Blues require a more defensive minded midfielder. Whilst Ramires is performing excellently so far this season, there is a lack of real backup for the Brazilian should he get injured or lose form; Jon Obi Mikel is the only real support in place. A reunion of Khedira and Mourinho, then, is likely to strengthen the core of Chelsea’s squad. Last season, under the current Chelsea manager, the German won 36 of his 50 tackles (72% won) and made 29 interceptions, demonstrating his solid defensive skills.

Sami Khedira Duels Won (Last Season)

Whilst the ability of Khedira does not quite surpass Ramires’ – the Brazilian last season won 85 tackles and made 55 interceptions – the Real Madrid man would be a solid addition to the Chelsea squad and provide good competition for places. His ability is undoubted and it would add further quality to a Chelsea squad which glitters with every name on the teamsheet; whilst he may not be necessary at Man Utd, at Chelsea, under Mourinho, Khedira would be fully appreciated and a welcomed addition.