5 days ago
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Liam Rosenior could throw Aaron Anselmino into the deep end as he looks to bolster Chelsea's backline before the January transfer window slams shut
Chelsea raised eyebrows when they recalled Aaron Anselmino from his loan at Borussia Dortmund, but there could be method to the madness at Stamford Bridge. The 20-year-old defender made quite the impression in the Bundesliga, despite only a handful of appearances.
Anselmino, whom the Blues signed from Boca Junior in August 2024 for just £15.6m, featured 10 times for the German outfit across all competitions, keeping five clean sheets. Dortmund never lost when he played, and they conceded just six goals.
While the Argentine managed to impress, his time in Germany was plagued by injuries. Anselmino suffered his first setback during the September international break; he sustained a muscle injury after a sprint in training.
After six weeks or so on the sidelines, he returned to action. Then, in December, just as the Chelsea loanee appeared to be building some momentum, he suffered a hamstring problem, ruling him out until the new year.
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In what would later prove to be his final appearance while on loan at Dortmund, Anselmino enjoyed a brief cameo off the bench at the weekend. He came on for the last 20 minutes of a 3-0 away win over Union Berlin.
The Argentine has now returned to Stamford Bridge, and he's set to hold talks with Liam Rosenior about his future as Chelsea continue to assess the centre-back market this month.
So, to find out a bit more about Anselmino, football.london spoke to Bundesliga football expert and Get Germany Football News editor-in-chief, Daniel Pinder.
What did you make of Anselmino during his time at Dortmund?
"He arrived at Dortmund with very little expectations, but he’s impressed in his short spell at the club. He was thrust straight into Dortmund’s first Bundesliga game of the season, and played in a back three and didn’t look out of place at all.
"Unfortunately, an injury set him back, where he missed the following six games, but he slotted seamlessly back into defence, and in his first two Bundesliga games, he helped keep clean sheets.
"Young players have obviously done extremely well at Dortmund in the past, and that’s clearly evident in Anselmino’s progression as well."
How does Anselmino compare to other young centre-backs?
"I think he’s certainly up there. You look at someone like [William] Saliba, for example. Arsenal signed him as this real prospect. He almost didn’t settle, but after loan spells at Nice and, in particular, Marseille, that’s aided his development, which has now seen Saliba establish himself as a leading CB.
"Five years his senior, Anselmino is obviously some way off Saliba’s ability, but from what I’ve seen of him in a Dortmund shirt, there’s a lot to like about him."
What can Rosenior and Chelsea fans expect from Anselmino?
"He’s of a similar build to Nico Schlotterbeck and very similar in terms of playing style, the one of the few differences is that he’s right-footed. He possesses good pace and is excellent in the tackle, not afraid to put himself around.
"But obviously, that can also be perceived as a weakness. On the odd occasion that he has missed a tackle or misread the ball, it can often lead to an attacking play. He does, though, have excellent recovery speed.
"He’s also very well liked among the Dortmund dressing room. Gregor Kobel called him a ‘super guy’ and a ‘wonderful lad’ that plays with intensity and aggression. Niko Kovac also said Anselmino has ‘beyond an A+’ for personality, suggesting that he’s an excellent workhorse that is always looking to improve."
What are your thoughts on how Chelsea – and BlueCo
"Personally, I’m not a fan of the whole BlueCo project, or the City Group or anything like that and I think that’s echoed by Strasbourg’s fans. They’re this great French club, but they’ve essentially had it ripped away which is why we’ve seen fans protest."
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