Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has confirmed that “ready-made” players will be targeted by the club this summer as they look to finally challenge for the Premier League title next season.
The Blues haven’t finished within 10 points of the English top flight winner since they won the competition back in 2016-17 and fan unrest is arguably at an all-time high following a run of only one win in their last seven Premier League matches.
Head coach Liam Rosenior has lost the support of a large section of the Chelsea supporters and they face a crucial summer transfer window amid concerns over the long-term futures of Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella.
Moises Caicedo has, however, signalled his faith in the project by agreeing a new contract at Stamford Bridge, while fellow key player Levi Colwill is also expected to follow suit shortly, despite missing the entire season so far with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Chelsea haven’t paid a transfer fee for a single player over the age of 25 since the first transfer window under the BlueCo ownership, but Eghbali has confirmed that a change in strategy will take place this summer.
Speaking at CAA’s World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, Eghbali said: “We’ve got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take it to the next level, to be consistent over time.
“We recognise we need balance. We have world champions, we have Champions League winners, we have elite, elite young players. Experience has developed now. The team has been together for two or three years. The objective is to keep your best players, and we’ve done that, and there’s no intention to rebuild every three or four years. You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes.
“Our goal is to have elite, elite players on the pitch, elite characters off the pitch that our fans can bond with, that will be at the club, that will be club legends for the next 10 or 15 years and beyond. I think, generally, we’ve been fortunate, not in getting everything right, but we do have a core of good players, global players. Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Levi Colwill, Estevao Willian, Reece James.
“The view is now that we’re here with a great core base, to add some of that experience, to take the team to the next level and have consistency. That fact is not lost on us, and we’re at a point where we can take that next step, hopefully in the next year and beyond.”
So, which “ready-made” stars could Chelsea sign this summer?
Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)
Chelsea ultimately decided against signing Victor Osimhen in 2024 and 2025 due to his lofty wage demands, but it’s a choice they should be regretting immensely.
Joao Pedro has been in fantastic form since his arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion, but his goal output has tailed off in recent weeks – failing to score in his last five games across the Premier League and Champions League.
The Brazilian needs some reliable competition, with Liam Delap struggling in his debut season, and Osimhen would be the perfect signing. He has scored 56 goals in 70 games for Galatasaray and he is a proven commodity in the biggest games. A no-brainer signing.
Julian Alvarez (Atletico Madrid)
An alternative to Osimhen would be Atletico Madrid superstar Julian Alvarez, who has been tentatively linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, despite significant interest from Arsenal and Barcelona.
The Argentina forward has excelled in an Atleti shirt, while he was also superb during a two-year stint in the Premier League with Manchester City, despite playing second-fiddle to Erling Haaland.
Alvarez would be a huge signing for Chelsea, although a deal is extremely unlikely to take place if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Sandro Tonali (Newcastle)
Sandro Tonali is one of several Newcastle players who could leave the club this summer, alongside Anthony Gordon and Valentino Livramento, following an underwhelming 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
The former AC Milan midfielder is being tracked by Arsenal and Manchester United, but Chelsea could feasibly join the race for his signature too as they look to bring a new central midfielder to Stamford Bridge this summer.
Enzo Fernandez’s future remains uncertain and a move for Tonali could be a smart choice, especially given he has over 300 career appearances under his belt.
Cristian Romero (Tottenham)
Cristian Romero already divides opinion and leaving Tottenham for London rivals Chelsea wouldn’t go down well at all, especially given his status as Spurs captain.
However, he has been heavily linked with an exit in recent months and the likelihood of this happening will be far greater if Roberto De Zerbi is unable to save the north London giants from a shock relegation to the Championship.
Romero is a World Cup winner and although he lacks the “emotional stability” that Rosenior craves, he is very experienced and could slot in alongside Levi Colwill in Chelsea’s defence.
Nico Williams (Athletic Club)
Nico Williams has suffered with the pubalgia problem that has hindered Cole Palmer’s campaign, but he remains one of Europe’s best left wingers.
It’s a position that Chelsea want to address this summer, with Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens both struggling during their debut seasons, and Williams would be a quick-fix solution to the Blues’ problem on the left side of attack.
However, it will cost a lot of money to prise him away from Athletic Club and his salary would also be problematic.
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