Chelsea has found success in using Conte’s new formation. Using 3 defenders at the back, is not that common for a Premier League team, but it seems to work wonders for the Blues who have managed to win all their Premier League games since changing to the system. It is difficult to train 3 center-backs to work the system quickly and it is even harder to find someone who adapts quickly to such a playing style after playing all their life with 4 at the back.. With that in mind, the best thing for Conte to do is to find someone young, adaptable but at the same time with some Premier League experience. While Luiz, Cahill and Terry know their craft well, the Blues are entering a new era of some transition. Out of Chelsea’s current defense it is very likely to see at least a name out the squad list for next season and even if it may seem a stretch to think so far into the future, but planning ahead is the key to success. Stability will bring results back to Stamford Bridge and Conte certainly looks like he will be the man to deliver.

While players like Leonardo Bonucci and Kalidou Koulibaly sound like a good fit, one is too close to Chelsea’s preferred age limit when it comes to transfers and the other is too expensive and too similar to Zouma’s playing style. The solution might come from Newcastle, where the team captain Jamaal Lascelles is becoming the stand out player of the Championship. The U21 England international has been featured in 17 games up until now and has scored one goal. He has spent all of his career in the UK so he is more than acquainted with the rigours of English football. He has suffered no major injuries and has an incredibly strong physique. What is even more important is that Lascelles has the right attitude towards the game. He is a born leader and the kind of player you don’t see that often anymore when it comes to team spirit. Being Newcastle’s captain at such a young age should say a lot about his character.

Acquiring this talented young starlet might represent a big challenge for Conte as the young defender seems pretty attached to his club. Even so, a bid should be made for this promising young center-back as it might prove too good to turn down. As reported by Metro,  who is now valued at around £18 million by Chelsea . Reportedly, the Blues’ scouts consider this price-tag as a fair one but it now remains to be seen if Newcastle agree.

Rafa Benitez is a shrewd operator who is trying to guide Newcastle back into the Premier League and he won’t want to lose his best players as he tries to secure automatic promotion plus he will not like the idea of selling a young, strong, dynamic defender like Lascelles who is his team captain at Newcastle. This might be a tough one but when it comes to young centre-backs Jamaal Lascelles is one of the best out there so surely Chelsea may want to try to bring him to Stamford Bridge.