Winning last season’s Champions League by beating Manchester City, there was a feeling that Chelsea could be real title contenders for the Premier League in this campaign.
That, however, hasn’t really been the case, with the Blues now 10 points off Pep Guardiola’s men after 21 games.
Injuries will have contributed to that, as will the hectic and confusing Covid-19 schedule, but it’s clear that work still needs to be done at Stamford Bridge, which the transfer window can help with.
Chelsea certainly have a list of targets they will want to sign, and a new centre-back, with the likes of César Azpilicueta, Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen all out of contract in the summer, will be top of their list.
Jules Koundé remains a target for them, and L’Equipe make it clear that the Blues ‘have not lost sight’ of the Sevilla star.
An alternative could be his teammate in the France national team, as Presnel Kimpembe remains a possible departure from Paris Saint-Germain, as he has ‘yet to see his leaders concretely offer him an extension’.
His next destination? It’s said ‘Chelsea have always liked the player’.
Then there’s the midfield, where Aurelien Tchouameni is being watched, and the French newspaper mention Chelsea as one of the ‘most prestigious’ clubs in Europe, naming them alongside other teams of that ilk, namely Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid.
They are all ‘contenders’ for the AS Monaco star, but no one has yet come forward with a meaningful attempt to sign him.
So, that’s three France internationals Chelsea are after, so it’s clear they like what they see when Didier Deschamps puts a team sheet together, the same manager who recently admitted he drew some inspiration from Tuchel and his Champions League winning tactics.
