Neville picks out area Chelsea are still ‘light’ after Saul swoop

Gary Neville thinks Chelsea are still “a bit light at the back” but reckons the signing of Saul Niguez allows them to “challenge on all fronts” this season.

The Blues confirmed the signing of Saul from Atletico Madrid in the dying embers of transfer deadline day to significantly strengthen their midfield.

The Spaniard has signed on loan until the end of the season with the Premier League reportedly retaining the option to complete a permanent deal in the summer.

Why did Manchester United not hijack Chelsea’s great move?

However, Chelsea could not get a deal for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde over the line with the La Liga side insisting the Blues paid his huge release clause.

Neville said on Sky Sports: “Saul is just another excellent player. He’s got massive experience at the top of La Liga, massive experience in the Champions League and at international level. He fits the Chelsea profile of signing players that are ready.

“That’s Chelsea’s model and you look at what they’ve done in this transfer window in terms of ins and outs and again, it’s been another exemplary performance from them. They are a strong team. I’ve watched them twice already this season, away at Arsenal and away at Anfield. That is a really good team, a team that wins and is ready to win more.

“When they went down to 10 men at Anfield, I never really thought it was going to be easy for Liverpool to break Chelsea down in the second half. That’s when you know you are playing against a good team because that’s the toughest place to play.

“And the addition of Saul along with Romelu Lukaku makes them stronger and stronger and stronger. In the midfield with Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic they already look really strong.

“You only need two in there with the way they play but Saul’s addition means they can challenge on all fronts. It strengthens them enormously and makes them more formidable than they were at Anfield last Saturday.

“You could argue that Chelsea may be a bit light at the back, but what they do have is a system of playing with those two players sat in front of that back three that makes them solid. So what Thomas Tuchel has done since he’s come in is maybe recognise that they can’t be a back four.

“If you were looking at them as a pair of centre-backs you wouldn’t be sure about them winning the league, but with the three they have at the back, and sometimes it becomes a five with the two protecting in front, Chelsea are more than comfortable.

“They’ve got a system of playing that protects the individuals from potentially being isolated and that now, with the confidence and the belief they have when you win a Champions League like they did last season and with the business they have done in the transfer window, they are going to be very difficult to stop.”