After watching a lot of their players leave before the start of the season, Chelsea is back in the rebuilding phase. With Thomas Tuchel’s exit, Chelsea’s new boss, Graham Potter, is keen to bring on some reinforcements.
Graham Potter has arrived at Stamford Bridge and is closely monitoring the strengths and weaknesses of his new squad. The Englishman needs to make some big decisions early on with some key players underperforming as Chelsea looks out of sorts.
The Blues sacked Thomas Tuchel after a dismal start to the season, which saw the arrival of Graham Potter. It is believed that Potter’s tactics with Brighton impressed Todd Boehly, making him the prime candidate for the job. This made Boehly hand the 47-year-old a five-year deal.
The new Chelsea owners want the fans to be on their side as they look to rebuild the team and the management. Boehly will hope for Potter to get comfortable with the squad quickly, as Chelsea is currently sixth in the table. The arrival of Aubameyang and Wesley Fofana has certainly provided a boost to the side.
Potter is looking for new Chelsea signings.
Chelsea hasn’t had a proper striker in a long time. The arrival of Aubameyang has resolved the problem to some extent, but they’re still looking for a long-term solution. Chelsea is closely monitoring Rafael Leao at AC Milan.
The 23-year-old was on the list of ex-boss Thomas Tuchel. The transfer didn’t see the light of day as Milan pointed to Leao’s £127 million release clause. Leao is asking for a higher salary to stay at the San Siro.
He’s also asking Milan to pay the £14 million they were ordered to pay his former club Sporting Lisbon by the Portuguese Super Court for breaching his contract. Chelsea is closely paying attention as they’re hoping to sign Leao in the January window if the striker pushes for the transfer.
Chelsea is looking for a midfielder and a goalkeeper.
The Blues are on the lookout for a holding midfielder as both Kante and Jorginho have entered the final year of their contracts. They were close to signing Ajax’s 24-year-old midfielder, Edson Alvarez, but the £43 million bid was turned down by the club. They ultimately settled for Denis Zakaria on loan from Juventus.
Chelsea is expected to return to Alvarez in January. With Potter as the new manager, there could be a shift before the January window opens. By then, the new boss will have an idea of what kind of players the club needs.
Reports also add that Chelsea might also be looking to sign a backup goalkeeper. Kepa Arrizabalaga might leave soon, and the club wants Edouard Mendy to be the first-choice goalkeeper. The choices for a backup goalkeeper remain to be seen.
The Blues also have their eyes on Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha. The 29-year-old is a prolific goal scorer with terrifying pace and would make a fine addition to the Chelsea squad. The player seems to be in fine form this season, scoring four goals in five league appearances.
Chelsea isn’t the only one in the race, though. Arsenal has been long interested in the forward, along with Everton. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace has offered a new, improved contract to the forward, who has entered the final year of his current contract.
All ready for Manchester United star
Chelsea is reportedly interested in signing Marcus Rashford from Manchester United. Rashford has been inconsistent at Old Trafford, although he has found some consistency in the last few weeks.
He’s yet to be offered a new deal at United and it remains to be seen if his performances can change the scenario. As it stands right now, he’s set to leave for free next summer, and Chelsea would be hoping to pounce on the option. Rashford could very well turn out to be Chelsea’s long-term solution.
Atletico Madrid is also said to be interested in the 24-year-old attacker as they’ve always been admirers of the Englishman.
A new Sporting Director
Chelsea is also planning on making a move for Monaco’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell. Initially, the Blues wanted ex-Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards for the job, but the 43-year-old rejected the opportunity. Edwards wanted a break from football and therefore wasn’t available for the job.
With the outgoing Marina Granovskaia, Todd Boehly is hoping to sign a new sporting director before the start of the World Cup in November.
As for now, the Premier League is suspended as a mark of respect for the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Chelsea will face RB Salzburg in the UEFA Champions League on September 15th.
