Edouard Mendy’s Senegal teammate Chelsea should be looking at to solve defensive issues

Edouard Mendy played a pivotal role as Senegal made light work of Equatorial Guinea - but Chelsea eyes may be on his defensive colleague Abdou Diallo.

The Blues goalkeeper has become a winning machine and is helped Senegal to the AFCON semi-final.

Backed by Liverpool’s Sadio Mane up top and the experience of Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, Senegal will hope to go one step further than they did last tournament.

But PSG’s Diallo has been quietly enjoying an impressive tournament, and scouts will be looking at him for the Premier League.

He has formed a brilliant partnership with Koulibaly and is being tipped to be a top defender in the French papers.

Chelsea are currently trying to convince Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen to renew their contracts, while it is uncertain what will happen to captain Cesar Azpilicueta after the summer.

They have been linked with a host of names, led by Sevilla’s Jules Koundé, but they will do well to cast an eye on PSG’s Diallo.

Abdou Diallo’s strengths

The 25-year-old has managed just nine league games in a star-studded PSG side, but is highly regarded by Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff and that is showing in his game time.

He’s been rock solid at the heart of defence for Senegal, and his passing out from back through is an important asset for a modern day left-sided centre back.

Diallo’s height and physique will suit the physical nature of the Premier League, and would fair well at Chelsea.

Unlike the more expensive targets that the Blues are considering, he will come relatively cheap and at a good age.

He seems to be great friends with Mendy, who is constantly communicating with him during games - and this would help his adaptation to the Premier League.

Unknown element like César Azpilicueta’s arrival

When Chelsea signed Azpilicueta from Marseille in 2012, for just £6.5millon, he was so unknown not many fans could even pronounce his name.

A decade later, he is arguably the the club’s greatest ever pound-for-pound signing, and served better than more expensive purchases.

Ligue 1 has served Chelsea well, and the success of players like Mendy means players from France should acclimatise quicker.

Diallo is enjoying a brilliant competition, and if Senegal make it to the final expect to see his name pop up a lot more in the press for all the right reasons.

Why he would fit in at Chelsea

The best way to succeed at Chelsea is to play for the crest, and just before Diallo left for the AFCON he got praise from his manager Mauricio Pochettino, who described him as the perfect team player.

National team coach Aliou Cisse has praised his maturity and reading of the game throughout the tournament.

“He is a kind of player that we need because he is very calm and gets his work done, so for me I have so much respect for him,” Cissé said ahead of the game against Equatorial Guinea.

“There are some players who just attract crowds and there are others who just do their work and want to do it well, and Diallo is one one who just wants to do his work well.”

Chelsea are one of the best clubs in the world, and most of the players who succeed long term are those who think of the team even when they are not on the pitch.