da apostaganha：
da dobrowin： One of the more prominent players in European football who could be available for free next summer is Philippe Mexes, the AS Roma centre-back is in the last year of his contract and a new one is not signed, there will be a host of clubs interested in talking to the Frenchman. It has been widely reported that one of these interested parties is Chelsea, with the Daily Mail saying that Carlo Ancelotti is monitoring the defenders contract talks. The question that needs to be asked then, do Chelsea need Philippe Mexes?
Mexes has been a stalwart for Roma since signing for the club from Auxerre in 2004, forming a strong central pairing with Brazilian centre-back Juan in recent seasons. The arrival of Nicolas Burdisso on loan from Inter last season though saw Mexes drop down the pecking order, and he started only 17 games. Burdisso was signed permanently in the summer so Mexes must have some concerns over how much game time he is going to get this term, and with a new manager in the form of Laurent Blanc at the helm of the France national team, Mexes will want to play in order to cement his place in the international set-up.
Despite being an almost ever present for Roma, Mexes has thus far experienced a frustrating international career, so does this say something about his quality? Since 2002 Mexes has only picked up 14 caps, a very disappointing return for a player who is regarded by many as a very good centre-back. What needs to be taken into account of course is the fact that Raymond Domenech was in charge for six years, and he is a manager not exactly known for making sound, rational decisions. Maybe Domenech did not like Aries, because why Mexes was hardly ever selected is a mystery to most. Under Laurent Blanc, Mexes has played in the first three games, and will be looking to become a regular under the new boss.
Philippe Mexes is now 28 and so as a centre-back he should be in the prime of his career. Mexes is a tall, strong and determined defender who gives his sides real steel in the backline and is hard to beat aerially. He can be a rash player however, and can give away poor free-kicks or penalties and is not averse to ill-discipline.
In my opinion, both John Terry and Alex are better players than Mexes and Branislav Ivanovic is a more than capable deputy for either one of them. If one of these three were to pick up a serious injury however, you would worry about a lack of cover in central defence, and Mexes would therefore be a welcome addition to the squad if not necessarily an automatic first choice. If he could be brought in on a free transfer that would make the deal even sweeter, and if this became an option for Ancelotti, I certainly wouldn’t advise him against a move.
Competition for Philippe Mexes will be hot if his contract talks do not amount to a new deal, and Chelsea would certainly be an attractive club for him to join. I would not be convinced about Mexes if Ancelotti was planning on making him a first choice player, but Chelsea do lack a bit of depth in central defence and if he was added as a squad player I think Mexes would be a fine acquisition. If Dutch duo Patrick van Aanholt and Jeffrey Bruma can show some worth this season though, Ancelotti may want to concentrate on giving youth a chance rather than signing another experienced centre-back.
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