Youthful Ramires set to revitalise Chelsea midfield
So, just how do you go about making improvements to a team that stormed to the Premier League title after bagging 103 league goals last season?
This was Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti’s dilemma during this pre-season. Keeping things fresh to ensure that his squad are capable of retaining the league trophy meant that making one or two new signings was imperative.
Fortunately for the Italian manager, there was one box-to-box midfielder plying his trade in Portugal who looks set to fit effortlessly into the Chelsea midfield.
That man is 23-year-old Ramires. The Premier League club are poised to seal the Brazil international’s services for £17 million by the end of the week, and on the evidence of his performances for Benfica and the Brazilian national team in South Africa, Chelsea have landed themselves a rising star.
After starting his professional career in his native country with Joinville four years ago, Ramires impressed during a loan spell with Cruzeiro. The midfielder then joined the club on a permanent basis in 2008, before moving to Portugal in a deal worth £6.2 million a year later.
So impressive were Ramires’ performances for Brazil’s under-23 side in 2008 that Dunga then handed the prodigious talent his full international debut in 2009.
Ramires was a key part of Brazil’s winning team at last summer’s Confederations Cup, and as a result, was then included in Dunga’s 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup finals.
And now, after a season in Portugal, the defensive midfielder is set to arrive at Stamford Bridge to begin the next chapter of his blossoming career in the Premier League.
The big transfer fee is an indication of how highly-rated Ramires is, and Chelsea fans are salivating at the prospect of seeing him in the same midfield as Michael Essien and Frank Lampard.
More dynamic than John Obi Mikel, Ramires’s tireless work-ethic stands to make the Blues an even more formidable unit – especially as he’ll be playing alongside arguably the Premier League’s most outstanding all-round central midfielder, Essien.
The 23-year-old has also shown his eye for goal at every club he’s been at, and netted four goals during his stint at Benfica. Not that Chelsea are buying him for his goalscoring exploits, of course. His driving runs through the middle of the pitch and ball-winning abilities are what make him the perfect addition to the champions’ squad.
Ramires is due in west London today for a routine medical before signing on the dotted line for the club. However, there is slight concern over whether he qualifies for a work permit. The regulations clearly state that a player must have appeared in 75% of his country’s international matches over the past two years, but the midfielder has not played enough matches.
Taking into consideration his age, the calibre of his national team and the transfer fee involved, exceptions are likely to be made for Ramires on this occasion, though.
Ancelotti now hopes that his new signing will be available to play in this Sunday’s Community Shield at Wembley, and will be confident that Ramires is the ideal player to help bring silverware to Stamford Bridge again this season.
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