Thomas Tuchel needs just one signing to win the Premier League – Peter Crouch.
The Blues can Mount a serious Premier League title challenge next season if they sign a center-back, according to Peter Crouch.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has done an incredible job since taking over, guiding his team to an FA Cup and Champions League finals.
However, further reinforcements are required if they’re to stop Pep Guardiola’s side next time out.
Chelsea quality cannot be doubted they have managed to beat City twice since Tuchel succeeded Lampard.
The first victory was in the semi-finals of the FA Cup last month, with Hakim Ziyech scoring the solitary goal of the game at Wembley.
And Chelsea also got the better of Guardiola’s side in their Premier League encounter on Saturday, triumphing 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium.
The two teams will lock horns again in the Champions League final later this month, the third all-English final in the competition’s history.
And Crouch, writing for the Daily Mail, thinks Chelsea will challenge City for major awards next season if they sign a center-back.
“Another transfer window, Charlie,” he said when asked what the Blues need to close the gap on City.
“If Chelsea can get a top-class central defender, one out of the highest bracket, that would put them in with a huge chance next season.
“Thomas Tuchel took over a really good squad but it is still behind City at the minute, for all the progress they have made.
“I cannot wait to see the next steps Tuchel and Chelsea make because I have been bowled over by the impact he has made.
“I’m so impressed and nobody in Europe would want to play them in their current form.
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“They put a marker down for the Champions League final on Saturday. City will not play the line-up they used at the weekend on May 29 but it will be in their minds, the damage Chelsea can do in a one-off match.
“If you were giving me a free bet on that outcome, I would back Chelsea at the respective odds.”
Tuchel felt the triumph over City on Saturday was important, believing his players now have the courage to beat City.
“What a performance in the second half,” said the former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain manager.
“It was more or less equal in the first half, but we almost gave the game away in the last five minutes.
“If they scored the penalty, maybe the game would have been over before it really started. If it went to 2-0, maybe we wouldn’t have had a chance to come back.
“It was very hard, we were 1-0 down and had an injured player, I’m absolutely impressed by the performance and reaction in the second half and we deserved to win the second half.
“If you want to steal all three points at the Etihad in this situation, of course you need a bit of luck, momentum, and decisions from the referee. But we had many chances in the second half, so a big, big congratulations to the players.
“We were more confident in the second half, the goal helped us a lot and suddenly we were more physical and recovered the balls higher.
“It was a physical battle and we never stepped back or gave up, instead we increased our motivation. I’m absolutely delighted with the performance.”
Tuchel then added: “The win gives us confidence but, as I have said before, this result will not change the [Champions League] final.
“The final is a very unique game and you cannot predict what will happen.
“You need to be well prepared, we will have some changes again, they will have some changes again, but we will arrive with the knowledge we are capable of beating City.
“This is what we have now, and this will not change until Istanbul.”
Guardiola, meanwhile, refused to criticise Sergio Aguero after his penalty miss.
“It was a tight game but in general we played really well,” said the City boss.
“We missed our chance in the last minute of the first half with the penalty.
“It was Sergio’s decision [to take a Panenka], the taker has to make that decision. I always say decide and take it fully convinced, he decided to do it this way.”
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