Who Gets the Better Deal in Proposed Federico Bernardeschi and Jorginho Swap - Chelsea or Juventus?

Chelsea are just weeks away from their two most senior wingers departing the club, with Willian and Pedro both set to run down the remainder of their contracts.


Meanwhile, Juventus have made no secret of their desire to bolster their central midfield arsenal with the talents of the likes of Miralem Pjanic, Sami Khedira and Adrien Rabiot waning.


So, the solution seems simple; swap Chelsea central midfielder Jorginho for Juventus winger Federico Bernardeschi; sounds like good business for Frank Lampard’s men?


Federico Bernardeschi playing for Juventus

Wrong.


Three seasons ago, Bernardeschi became one of the most talked about wingers on the planet. He enjoyed a stellar campaign at Fiorentina under the stewardship of Paulo Sousa, earning himself a mega-money move to Serie A champions Juventus. Unfortunately, the Italy international hasn’t looked the same since - not at club level anyway.


After three seasons at the Old Lady, 26-year-old Bernardeschi has mustered just six league goals – almost half the amount he managed in his breakthrough season of 2016/17 alone.


This season has been a particularly low point in his Juve career. The winger has made 18 league appearances without recording a single goal or assist. Maurizio Sarri has tried the former Fiorentina man in a number of positions - including behind the front two - but Bernardeschi just looks lost.


Jorginho playing in the Champions League

In stark contrast, Jorginho is enjoying the most fruitful spell of his Stamford Bridge career. After suffering a turbulent first year in London, the Italian appears to have finally settled in the capital and is beginning to look the player Chelsea shelled out £50m for. A productive season (so far) has seen him score seven goals and lay on two more from his deep-lying midfield role.


The 28-year-old metronome has become a key component in Lampard’s side, offering a senior head among a number of youngsters – experience that will now become even more invaluable given the departures of Willian and Pedro.


While Jorginho’s second season in England has seen him develop a level of consistency, unfortunately, the exact opposite can be said of Bernardeschi.


The winger has undoubted talent and can look back at scintillating displays such as his performance in the 2018/19 Champions League against Atlético Madrid, however, consistency is one thing which his game sorely misses.


As a 23-year-old who had recently broken into the starting XI this would be permissible, but as a 26-year-old who the champions of Italy forked out £36m for, it’s not good enough.


The Chelsea faithful suffered a painful first year of Jorginho. The former Napoli man looked completely out of his depth and incapable of playing at the speed required in the Premier League.


Against all the odds, the 28-year-old has proven himself to be good enough to mix it among the finest midfielders in the league.


Bernardeschi lining up for Italy

Should Chelsea choose to swap their accomplished £50m midfielder with a £36m winger who is out of favour and hasn’t shown form for three seasons, the Stamford Bridge faithful will be set for another season of teething problems, as they yet again cross their fingers in the hope that the gamble pays off.


Chelsea don’t need another project. A big part of their current squad is made up of projects, and Lampard is in danger of losing the balance.




Source : 90min