It’s less than two months until the January window opens, and Chelsea are considering new additions to bolster their hopes of Champions League qualification. A left-back could be targeted.

Only a couple of months ago, Chelsea spent little over £20m to land Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano. He and Jorrel Hato are Chelsea’s left-sided options, though Marco Palestra started there on Saturday.

But clearly, it remains a problem for Xabi Alonso. Now, reports claim Chelsea are eyeing a new left-back, one that has been consistently impressing in the Premier League and, more locally, in London.

Chelsea open talks to sign £40m left-back from neighbours

According to DSports writer Khadim Diakhate, Chelsea have opened talks to sign Brentford defender El Hadji Malick Diouf. It comes just a few months after Brentford spent £40m to sign him from West Ham.

His form at West Ham, despite relegation, has now caught the eye of the Premier League’s bigger clubs. Chelsea are not alone in their pursuit of the Senegal star, with Liverpool also staging talks for Diouf.

“According to our information, the two English clubs have already made contact with his agent. Having joined Brentford, the Lion of the Teranga is already catching the eye of the Premier League’s big clubs.”

Diouf is more defensively solid than Chavarria and Hato

Alonso changed formation on Saturday. He reverted to a 4-2-3-1 system, but if he is to do that, his full-backs must be more defensively solid than they are when playing as a wing-back in the original 3-4-2-1.

Josh Acheampong has made the right-back role his own in the absence of Reece James. But on the left, Hato has made mistakes, Chavarria is yet to get a run of games, and Palestra might be too attacking.

As the stats show above, Diouf is much more solid when it comes to actual defending. But the 21-year-old is more than adept at going forward too, laying on five assists for West Ham in 36 appearances.

The chances of Diouf being sold by Brentford just six months after joining them for £40m is unrealistic. But next summer, there is a real chance that Brentford could cash in if the Bees can make a profit.