Rice signs, Kounde contract, Pulisic decision: How Chelsea dream rebuild looks after £298m overhaul
Chelsea is rapidly nearing one of the club’s most critical transfer windows in its history.
Despite the fact that the west London club is in the midst of a takeover saga, Thomas Tuchel will be looking to add to his squad in the summer.
So Sports Dias dug into what the Blues’ ideal 25-man roster would look like come next season’s start.
Tough decisions will have to be made, whether it is Declan Rice, Romelu Lukuku, or Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Goalkeepers; Edouard Mendy, Nathan Baxter, Marcus Bettinelli
Edouard Mendy has been instrumental in the most of Chelsea’s success since joining from Rennes in 2020 for a clever £22 million fee.
The 30-year-old shot-stopper has developed into one of the world’s best goalkeepers, and his inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s 25-man roster is self-evident.
According to football.london, Juventus is keeping an eye on Kepa Arrizabalaga for a loan move, while Maurizio Sarri is open to the prospect of rejoining with the goalkeeper at Lazio.
Barcelona is also interested, but nothing is expected to come of it unless a sizable deal is received for their first-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
With that in mind, Chelsea could aim to trade the Spaniard and bring in loanee Nathan Baxter to serve as Mendy’s backup.
Baxter stated in an interview with The League of 72 on YouTube that he is ready for a shot with the first squad.
The 23-year-old remarked: “From my point of view, I believe I’m good enough to play for Chelsea and that’s still my goal. But if the decision is taken that it’s not going to be the route forward for me, then the [Hull] fans can tell how much I enjoy playing for this football club.
“But from my point of view, it’s all about playing games. If I’ve got to take a move elsewhere, whether on loan or permanent, my priority is going to be where I’m going to play every week.”
Defenders; Reece James, Dujon Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Ian Maatsen, Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Jules Kounde, Josko Gvardiol, Ethan Ampadu
A large portion of Chelsea’s backline speaks for itself ahead of the upcoming season.
A large portion of Chelsea’s backline speaks for itself ahead of the upcoming season. The quintet of Dujon Sterling, Ian Maatsen, Ethan Ampadu, and Levi Colwill, who returned from loan in the summer, can provide Tuchel with a nice balance across multiple roles.
The west Londoners could also use two marquee additions to supplement Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
According to CIES Football Observatory, Kounde and Gvardiol, both of whom Chelsea have been widely associated with recently, would bolster Tuchel’s choices while also adding to a long-term project costing £179m.
Midfielders; Declan Rice, Aurelien Tchouameni, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher
In an ideal world, the new Chelsea owners would bring both Rice and Tchouameni with them.
However, with a combined value of £119 million and a slew of additional factors outside the Blues’ control, it appears doubtful.
Conor Gallagher, who has impressed this season, and Loftus-Cheek both deserve to be in Tuchel’s starting lineup.
According to sources, Jorginho’s future at Stamford Bridge is becoming increasingly questionable, with Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and Juventus all interested.
Meanwhile, Saul Niguez returnes to Atletico Madrid, while Ross Barkley will been given a way out.
Forwards; Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Armando Broja, Ousmane Dembele
Tuchel’s ability to retain Havertz, Mount, and Ziyech will be critical next season.
Chelsea should be motivated to spend wisely this summer, with Timo Werner, Romelu Lukaku, and Christian Pulisic all connected with summer exits.
Broja’s inclusion in the 25-man team will be critical. And Dembele, who has been extensively linked with a move to Chelsea, would be an excellent free transfer acquisition.
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Rice signs, Kounde contract, Pulisic decision: How Chelsea dream rebuild looks after £298m overhaul
