Despite being hard at work in the transfer window, Chelsea still have plenty to do before the deadline later this month. Enzo Maresca has added seven players to his squad yet there remains some problems.
Kieran Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo and Filip Jorgensen have all arrived as first-team players at Stamford Bridge from Leicester City, Fulham and Villarreal. Omari Kellyman, Marc Guiu, Renato Veiga and Caleb Wiley have all also been bought with one eye on the future.
The Blues’ pre-season tour of America has left the Italian with plenty to do on the training pitch before their Premier League season opener with Manchester City next weekend. In five games in the United States, Chelsea conceded 12 goals, won just once and suffered defeats to Celtic, Man City and Real Madrid.
Methods and tactics are down to Maresca to solve at Cobham. But further reinforcements remain a priority in the transfer window, despite the flurry of activity already produced. Millions have been spent once again yet Chelsea have a number of positions unresolved, especially at centre-forward.
With that in mind, soccerhuz.com has taken a look at how an alternate transfer window may have transpired for Chelsea had things gone differently.
Signed
As mentioned above, Chelsea have been busy in the summer transfer window. However, the players they signed and have been linked with are different to ones once tipped with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, for many, has seemed the perfect fit for the Blues for some time. A goalscorer with a natural eye in the penalty area, the Nigeria international is still expected to move away from Italy this summer.
Over time, the list of centre-forwards has developed seeing the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Ivan Toney on the club’s radar. All three profiles fit the bill as to what Chelsea need and would solve Maresca’s problems in the final third.
There is also the matter of Rafael Leao. Players such as Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk have their doubters and critics, with some claiming the club must accept their losses. Behind them is Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Angelo but a departure would open the door for a new arrival.
Like Osimhen, Rafael Leao has been on the club’s radar for some time. The AC Milan star has constantly teased fans about a move to west London and his dazzling skill off the left would take Maresca’s team to the next level.
The final signing in attack, one that always seemed more likely to happen compared to the other two, was Michael Olise. The French prodigy was wanted by Chelsea earlier in the summer but he opted to join Bayern Munich for £50m.
Sold
Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech and Malag Sarr have all left the club already. Before the window closes on August 30, there’s a huge possibility that at least five more could depart.
Gallagher is close to joining Atletico Madrid and the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Djordje Petrovic, Trevoh Chalobah, Cesare Casadei, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana are all the subject of interest elsewhere.
Perhaps the most important deal of them all is Lukaku. After his return to west London in 2021, the striker has had a tough time and all the talk this summer has been on him securing a permanent exit to Italy.
Still only 31, the Belgium international still has plenty to offer and could bring around £30m to Chelsea’s coffers. Ideally, Maresca would have got a number of these players out of the door earlier in the window, instead of having to rush against time to sell now.
