Chelsea's extortionate spending has created an unbalanced and demoralised squad that has seen the club at its lowest point since the turn of the century.
The amount of players is unmanageable and some have been brought in for ridiculous figures and have dramatically failed to repay their fees.
The Blues need to adopt a more meticulous and calculated transfer policy, spending lower sums on more quality players.
In recent times, the West London outfit has been linked with Benjamin Pavard, and securing his signature would be a notable step in the right direction for incoming boss Mauricio Pochettino.
What’s the latest on Benjamin Pavard to Chelsea?
Last month, it was first reported by BILD’s Christian Falk that the 2021 Champions League winners were interested in the Bayern Munich man.
This was followed up by a tweet by Fabrizio Romano, which confirmed that the Frenchman will not sign a new deal at his current club and wants to start a new chapter in his career.
Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany has since gone on to reveal that a fee of €40m (£34m) may be required to convince the Bavarian Giants to sanction his departure.
Pavard’s contract expires in 2024, so Bayern may be forced into his sale this summer to avoid losing him on a free next year.
How would Benjamin Pavard fit in at Chelsea?
The former Stuttgart star has made 30 Bundesliga appearances and averaged 2.3 tackles, 2.5 clearances, and 1.5 interceptions as he secured his fourth-straight league title.
Described as “outstanding” by Uli Hoenes, the 27-year-old also excels outside of Germany, as he ranks in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for tackles per 90, as well as the best 17% for interceptions per 90, according to FBref.
Coupled with his obvious defensive acumen, the 2018 World Cup winner is also a force going forward, sitting within the best 3% for progressive passes, total shots, shot-creating actions, and non-penalty goals per 90.
His solidity, offensive threat, and his ability to appear across the backline means he has drawn comparisons to Chelsea legend Branislav Ivanovic.
The aforementioned duo both regularly appeared at centre-back or full-back, and their functionality means they are two of the most underrated players in each of their generations.
This trait goes under the radar as functional players make the game look so easy and this versatility is invaluable for any manager.
Nine years, 337 appearances, 34 goals, and ten trophies later – Ivanovic is a Premier League legend, lauded for his consistency, productivity, mentality, and reliability.
Pavard mirrors this set of imperious qualities and being available for such a modest fee, it makes complete sense for Chelsea to make a move.