"He’s not going to cost much" – Glen Johnson says he would prefer ex-Tottenham defender who can 'surprise' people at Chelsea

Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson believes Al-Duhail centre-back Toby Alderweireld would be a sensible addition to Thomas Tuchel's squad ahead of the 2022-23 season.

The 33-year-old joined the Qatari club on a free transfer from Tottenham Hotspur last season. Alderweireld racked up 2492 minutes for Al Duhail last season, featuring in 27 matches across all competitions.

The Belgian initially rose through the ranks of Ajax and helped the club lift three Eredivisie titles. After short stints at Atletico Madrid and Southampton, he sealed a permanent move to Tottenham Hotspur in 2015. He helped the north London club mount successive Premier League title challenges and reach the UEFA Champions League final in 2019.

When asked about who he would sign as a replacement for Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, Johnson told GGRecon:

"I know it's going to sound a bit out there but I would say Toby Alderweireld, who used to be at Tottenham. He's not going to cost much, he knows the Premier League, he's a good footballer, and I think in a proper team he could surprise a lot of people."

Meanwhile, according to Evening Standard, Chelsea have placed an initial bid for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt. Addressing the recent rumours involving the 22-year-old centre-back, Johnson further added:

"I think it would be a good move for all parties involved. The whole package. Let's face it, £100m is becoming the norm, which sounds bonkers. But it is becoming normal and if you've got a guy there who you can potentially sell in five years' time for, probably, £120m, then all of a sudden it doesn't sound daft. I do think, due to his age, Matthijs de Ligt would be a risk worth taking."

Rudiger has joined Real Madrid this summer while Christensen is set to depart as well. Hence, Chelsea need to bring in defensive reinforcements on priority in this transfer market.

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Chelsea's hunt for a prolific scorer continues

Romelu Lukaku set to move back to Inter Milan on loan this summer (via Fabrizio Romano). Hence, Chelsea will also look to bring in a prolific goal-scorer at the club.

According to Romano, the west London club are interested in signing Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling. The 27-year-old has lifted four Premier League titles at the Etihad Stadium. He registered 17 goals and nine assists in 47 matches in all comeptitions last season.

According to Daily Mail, the club have identified a few other attackers to replace Lukaku as well. Bayern Munich talisman Robert Lewandowski, Everton forward Richarlison, Lille attacker Jonathan David, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Sassuolo poacher Gianluca Scamacca are on the list.