Chelsea are under pressure to improve their ranks this summer and strengthen their Premier League winning side, as a significant lack of depth will be put to the test next season by the Blues’ return to Champions League action.
Antonio Conte’s side are yet to venture into the summer transfer market to secure fresh faces and no outgoing deals are also yet to be approved, which leaves Chelsea’s squad shrouded in continuous uncertainty.
Major news broke last week that indicated Diego Costa is surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, with Conte informing the Spaniard he’s not in his plans for next season, and rumours have also surrounded midfield duo Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic.
In terms of incoming deals, Chelsea have been linked to the likes of Leonardo Bonucci, James Rodriguez, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Romelu Lukaku, amongst others, but they still lack significant progress towards any of this deals.
As we approach mid-June, the uncertainty concerning Chelsea’s transfer plans is a big issue- particularly as we’re now around a month away from pre-season, where the Blues’ squad needs to be assembled to prepare for next year’s campaign.
The fact that a wealth of names continue to be linked with a move to Stamford Bridge may be the root of the problem as the Blues would certainly be better off focusing their attention on getting one deal done then moving on to another, rather than diverting their attention across Europe.
Diego Costa’s future is likely to lead to a big saga, especially as his preferred destination of Atletico Madrid won’t be easy to secure due to the Spanish side’s transfer ban, and Chelsea need to find a resolution to this particularly transfer imminently.
Finding a replacement for Costa certainly won’t be easy and the pressure is on Chelsea to improve their attacking ranks as young forward Michy Batshuayi, who only signed last summer from Marseille, is also linked with an exit.
Meanwhile, Chelsea desperately require a long-term partner for star midfielder N’Golo Kante and Monaco’s Bakayoko seems to be the ideal fit- but the Blues need to secure a deal swiftly as interest from rival sides could drive-up the asking price for the French midfielder.
The next few weeks are crucial for Chelsea as they must make movement in the transfer market, particularly as their rivals seem intent to complete business early- as both Manchester City and Arsenal have secured their first signings of the window, whilst Manchester United are on the verge of theirs.