Benoit Badiashile has arguably been one of the most intelligent signings under new ownership at Chelsea.
A relatively young, ready-made, physical, composed defender, who in the background of a tumultuous season at Stamford Bridge, has gently simmered into an extremely underrated piece of transfer business.
Attempting to pinpoint a long-term partner for the Frenchman will be a difficult process for Mauricio Pochettino, but one name that has been floated around is Castello Lukeba.
According to a report by But! Football Club last week, the 20-year-old had been discussing a contract extension with Lyon, but has displayed some reluctance, with Chelsea waiting in the wings ready to pounce.
The outlet also detailed that the 2021 Champions League winners had a €43m (£37m) offer rejected at the end of the January transfer window.
Therefore, this summer is a chance for the west Londoners to reignite their interest in this coveted talent.
Should Chelsea sign Lukeba?
Lukeba has made 38 appearances in all competitions for Lyon this season, scoring twice.
Defensively, the centre-half has performed admirably, as he has averaged 2.2 interceptions per game, the highest in the Lyon squad.
He also ranks impressively for this metric across the continent as he sits in the top 1% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for this metric per 90, according to FBref.
As a result of his meteoric rise to stardom, the defender was named as one of the 40 nominees for the 2022 Golden Boy.
According to Football Insider, a member of Manchester United’s recruitment team has described the youngster as 'generational' and he could be destined for a move to the top-flight.
Similarly to Lukeba, Badiashile has also formed a formidable and highly-esteemed reputation.
Former Chelsea manager Graham Potter was extremely pleased with the titan’s impact and said: “He brings a calmness, he’s good with the ball, he’s left-footed so he gives us balance on that side.
“Attacking and defending, he’s had a solid start for us. Young player, you never know when they come into the country in a different situation, a different league, but so far he’s managed it really well.”
His well-rounded profile is portrayed by the fact that he ranks within the top 7% for progressive passes per 90, and the highest 18% for interceptions per 90, according to FBref.
Joao Tralhao, who has previously coached Badiashile, described him as the "complete defender” and he could strike up a partnership with Lukeba – who has been described as having a "perfect mix of a pure defender and ball-playing centre-back" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – that could last for years to come.
Although the Blues are a side that appears to enter an endless phase of transition, complicated by the scattergun policy of their ownership, the signing of Lukeba would definitely be a step in the right direction.