LONDON – Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti will decide whether to make a centre back one of his primary January transfer targets when Alex returns to Stamford Bridge this week. Alex is currently undergoing rehabilitation following knee surgery and is due back at the club after a trip to Brazil.
The Brazilian central defender is not expected to be fit until the end of January, and Ancelotti wants to check the progress of his recovery before making a move in the transfer market.
In Alex’s absence, Chelsea have looked unconvincing defensively and, with Branislav Ivanovic also missing while serving a one-match suspension, Ancelotti was forced to hand a league debut to teenager Jeffrey Bruma in the 3-3 draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Ancelotti conceded the absence of the more experienced centre backs contributed to his side’s failure to claim victory and blamed a lapse in concentration for Villa’s added time equaliser that came two minutes after John Terry thought he had sealed a home win.
Ancelotti has been linked with a move for Benfica’s David Luiz and Bolton’s Gary Cahill, but he said: “We need to see the position of Alex. He comes back from Brazil. I don’t like to speak here about which players but we need some players.”
