Chelsea are expected to be very busy in the upcoming summer transfer window with the Blues looking to improve their options in at least three positions
For Chelsea, the upcoming summer is one of the most important periods in the club’s recent history. That is not even hyperbole.
Unless the Blues can finish in sixth-place, while Aston Villa finish fifth in the Premier League table and win the Europa League final, the west Londoners will fail to qualify for the Champions League for the third time in four years since BlueCo bought the club. Failing to secure their place among Europe’s elite will come as a huge blow to Chelsea, not only financially, but also in landing their targets.
Targets being players, but also a new head coach. football.london understands Xabi Alonso, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola are three of the names on the Blues’ shortlist to become Liam Rosenior’s permanent successor following his departure last month.
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Whoever the new head coach ends up being, they will surely want a say on the club’s transfer plans this summer. Chelsea’s model, with a five-strong team of sporting directors, means the head coach has not always had the final say but they do work in collaboration with the recruitment team.
There is no question about it, though, the Blues need a big summer transfer window in order to make themselves competitive once again. BlueCo have to be successful in the upcoming window in order to ease the pressure on themselves from the club’s angry supporters.
With this being said, Bobby Vincent and Jake Stokes take a look at what needs to be done in terms of additions at Stamford Bridge:
Bobby Vincent
For me, what Chelsea need is straightforward. A centre-back, a central midfielder and a left-sided winger. Not easy to get, but straightforward in terms of what is required.
Someone to play alongside Levi Colwill. The 23-year-old has recently returned from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and reminded everyone of his talents at Anfield on Saturday. Chelsea need to buy someone to complement Colwill – and, sources say, that is one of the priorities for the club in the summer transfer window.
For me, Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace makes a whole lot of sense. He is experienced in the Premier League, something Chelsea are looking at including in their recruitment plans this summer, and is only 26-years-old. The Frenchman should, theoretically, be entering his peak years.
In midfield, Lacroix’s teammate Adam Wharton makes a whole lot of sense for Chelsea. The England international, who seems almost certain to leave Crystal Palace this summer, could be the missing piece in the jigsaw for Chelsea. Wharton is brilliant at line-breaking passes to get attacks going – something the Blues lack from midfield at the moment.
Chelsea admire Wharton – and have done for a while – but they are not the only ones. The Palace midfielder is said to have interest from all over the Premier League, so securing his signature, especially without the lure of Champions League football, will be tricky.
As for a left-sided winger, Morgan Rogers is definitely an option. Like Wharton, Rogers is understood to have admirers within the Chelsea hierarchy. Another option is Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United.
A lot of fans do not seem convinced by Gordon, but I think he ticks a lot of boxes. The 25-year-old winger is a goal threat, although it still feels like he could go up another level in that regard. Gordon is also very versatile and has often been used as the No.9 under Eddie Howe.
He is also a homegrown player and if Chelsea move on the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and maybe even Liam Delap this summer, bringing another one in is no bad thing. Off the ball, Gordon is a brilliant presser and could fit the new head coach’s ideology, particularly if it ends up being Iraola. Gordon or Rogers could be the answer for the Blues.
Jake Stokes
Chelsea need to sign a world-class, or at least close-to-world-class, left winger in the summer. But, unless the Blues appoint a top head coach, they will have very little bargaining power compared to rival opposition in the same market due to the unstable environment at Stamford Bridge – on and off the pitch.
In an ideal world, Chelsea manage to get their hands on either Khvicha Kvaratskhelia or Bradley Barcola this summer, but it’ll be difficult to prise either of the Paris Saint-Germain wingers from the French capital – even if they can somehow secure a place in the Champions League next season.
What player good enough to take the Blues to the next level would want to leave a club already in Europe’s elite competition? Chelsea have a wage structure… I doubt they’d suddenly break the bank and risk upsetting those who have remained loyal to the project.
Someone who could be willing to conform to the project in west London, in the hope of a fresh start, is Vinicius Junior. He has one year left on his deal at the Bernabeu and Real Madrid are going through a tough period. If the 25-year-old suddenly becomes available, I doubt the Blues would be the only club chasing his signature. So, as a precaution, Chelsea should keep tabs on how Juventus do in the Serie A.
If the Old Lady misses out on Champions League qualification, the Blues should go for Kenan Yildiz. Equally, I wouldn’t be against Chelsea taking a punt on Rafael Leao if AC Milan fall short. At the end of the day, beggars can’t be choosers, and BlueCo haven’t put the club in a great position to sign a top left-winger…
If Aurélien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde can’t settle their differences at Real Madrid, either of them would be excellent additions to the Chelsea squad. But, as previously mentioned, the Blues are hardly in a position to dive headfirst into deals for world-class players at the moment.
That said, assuming Chelsea can hold onto Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, and Andrey Santos, Alex Scott would be a good signing if he’s available for a reasonable fee.
The best chance that Chelsea have of signing a ready-made, right-footed, top centre-back could be to sign either Ibrahima Konate or Antonio Rudiger on a free from Liverpool and Real Madrid, respectively. Otherwise, BlueCo could be left no choice but to take a punt on a lesser-known name, putting them in the firing line of more criticism, which they won’t like.
The Chelsea owners would certainly win over a few fans if they managed to poach Cristian Romero or Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham Hotspur, though. Of course, the Lilywhites won’t lose sight of either without a fight, but, without European football, the duo could have their heads turned.
