Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes Chelsea need to sign world-class defenders to challenge for the Premier League title and win the Champions League.
Xabi Alonso's side are fifth in the league. Chelsea are among the three highest-scoring clubs, but have already conceded 16 goals in ten matches. By comparison, league leaders Arsenal have conceded just five.
Speaking on The Overlap Daily, Gerrard said:
I think, to compete with Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and the best teams in the Champions League, Chelsea need to find world-class centre-backs and a left-back of the same calibre.
When I played, Chelsea had Ashley Cole, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho and Branislav Ivanovic. That was a back four capable of competing at the highest level. And they proved it in both the Premier League and the Champions League.
If you compare Chelsea's current defensive five with that team, there is little difference between Emiliano Martinez and Petr Cech. Martinez has proved he is capable of winning the World Cup and playing at the highest level. But Chelsea's current defenders have yet to prove they can compete with the best teams in the Premier League.
That back four we played against, with Claude Makelele or Michael Essien in front of them, gave the team an incredibly strong foundation. They were world-class players. I think Chelsea need to sign players of that calibre to take the next step.
Gerrard believes strengthening the defence should be Chelsea's priority if they hope to return to the ranks of the leading contenders for the biggest trophies.
