Chelsea’s Premier League campaign this term has gone rather swimmingly, with the Blues on course to win the title in Antonio Conte’s first season in charge at Stamford Bridge- which will also hand the Blues a return to the Champions League.
There’s no denying that an absence from European competition this season has likely helped the Blues in their quest for domestic glory, which makes it clear that Chelsea can’t afford to rest on their laurels this summer and need to bolster their squad.
On paper, Chelsea’s side looks lacking in certain areas due to an absence of quality depth in the squad and that should be resolved this summer, with the defence looking particularly weak in depth as John Terry is set to move on.
The full-back areas should be the priority though as both Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso haven’t had too much competition for a first-team spot this season and speculation over the weekend suggested Conte is keen on bringing Ryan Bertrand back to Stamford Bridge.
After winning the Champions League with the West London giants in 2012, Jose Mourinho approved the departure of the 27-year-old just over two years ago and the full-back has excelled with Southampton ever since.
Bertrand is pushing for a spot in England’s World Cup squad next summer, where he’ll battle the likes of Danny Rose and Luke Shaw for a starting berth, and a move to Stamford Bridge would certainly help his standing in the England set-up.
Capable of causing issues in attack and remaining strong in defence, Bertrand is the perfect mould for Antonio Conte’s side and the full-back’s knowledge of life with the Blues should help him settle quickly into Conte’s regime.
With Southampton enduring a disappointing season, languishing in the bottom-half of the Premier League table and failing to advance in the Europa League, Bertrand could easily be tempted by a move back to Stamford Bridge.
He’d have to accept shared responsibilities with Marcos Alonso for first-team football but Chelsea will be eyeing a competitive charge on all four fronts next season, which means the depth of the squad will truly be tested.
Whilst some may argue it was a mistake to let Bertrand leave initially, the defender has developed exceptionally since moving to the South Coast and Chelsea shouldn’t be embarrassed to bring him back to the club- especially as they’ve done it previously with Nemanja Matic.
The Blues would likely have to double the £10m they received for Bertrand’s services a few years back to bring him to Stamford Bridge but it’s a deal that is certainly affordable for Conte’s side, especially as Chelsea should boost their transfer kitty with the sales of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, amongst others.