Why Chelsea have made the move for Leeds battler Tyler Adams

 

Chelsea are finally set to sign a player to bolster their midfield... and it's not Moises Caicedo. While the 21-year-old is set to join before the transfer window draws to a close, the Blues need another face to ease concerns following the departures of Jorginho, N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic in 2023. 

 

Their respective exits leaves Mauricio Pochettino with just Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher as the club's only deep-lying central midfielders, though that will change sooner rather than later. Reports suggest that Tyler Adams is close to a move to Stamford Bridge in as they seek to strengthen in a key area of the pitch. While perhaps not the first name on supporters' wishlists, the American does plug a gap. 

 

Leeds' relegation perhaps tarnished Adams' reputation a bit, but the proof of his influence is in the numbers. Indeed, Leeds conceded 36 league goals in the 24 matches Adams started, a rate of 1.5 per game. In the 14 matches he didn't, that rose to 42 goals conceded, at a rate of three goals conceded per game. Had he been fit for the full season, the Whites would have stood a much stronger chance of staving off relegation.

 

However, their drop into the Championship means Adams was available for just £20m, a bargain in the current market. When Brighton are demanding around £100m for Caicedo, it's difficult to pass up the chance to sign a player of Adams' ilk. Only Fulham's Joao Palhinha (4.2) made more tackles per game than the USA international (3.7) in the Premier League last season, while a 75.4% tackle success rate is not to be scoffed at. 

 

 

While he won't sign as a first choice, Adams' work off the ball will allow club-record signing Enzo Fernandez to flourish. The Argentine needs a ball winner alongside him to maximise his true potential, and help get his side forward without the need to waste energy regaining possession. Fernandez's superb Benfica performances in the first half of the 2022/23 campaign were in part due to Florentino Luis carrying out the nitty gritty defensive work to release the 2022 World Cup winner from his shackles to support the offensive. 

 

As such, Chelsea need a ball winner to partner Fernandez, particularly in Mauricio Pochettino's favoured 4-2-3-1 setup. Adams may not be the headline hogging name some crave, but he can do a job in the middle of the park. Even in a Leeds side that averaged the eighth lowest possession average (46.3%) in the Premier League last season, Adams was still able to routinely pick out a teammate, which is a core quality for a holding midfielder. 

 

Recyling possession is key, and even for the Yorkshire outfit, Adams was performing this duty well having returned an 82.4% pass success rate from 55.4 passes per 90. His World Cup performances perhaps gave a better indication of his ball retention qualities as he found a teammate with 90.2% of his 66 passes per 90. Considering Pochettino will likely seek to control proceedings all across the park, Adams will prove a handy fit in his ideal formation. 

 

Then there is the versatilty he'd bring to his game. While Adams is primarily a central midfielder, the former RB Leipzig man is also able to play at right-back, so he'd be able to provide cover for captain Reece James in this role should needs must. Given the England international's injury concerns, he may be required to feature at right-back more regularly than he was perhaps signed for, yet it's an option for Pochettino, and a welcome one at that. 

 

Either way, the decision to sign Adams is not one to be criticised. Yes, few could have foreseen Chelsea signing a relegated player earlier in the summer, especially when Caicedo was the number one option for the holding role, yet with the focus on returning to European action, the Blues need their players all pulling in the right direction to ensure that European football back at Stamford Bridge is not short-lived. Adams will boost Pochettino's squad options for a very important campaign in west London as the Argentine looks to make an immediate impact upon his return to the capital.

Why Chelsea have made the move for Leeds battler Tyler Adams