Chelsea transfer targets: Despite significant spending in the recent transfer windows, owners Todd Boehly, along with sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, still have plenty of work to do in the summer with the new manager, as the current squad is bloated and imbalanced.
In Chelsea transfer news today, let’s find out who are the transfer targets of Chelsea in 2023/24!
List of Chelsea transfer targets Summer 2022
Pau Torres
Besides the fact that Kounde is a top target in defense, Chelsea also wants to strengthen the defense, with Andreas Christensen ready to follow Rudiger. West Londoner Per Fabrizio Romano has been reported to be interested in Pau Torres, who has a £50m release clause.
However, they will face competition from both Manchester clubs with United even said to be readying an official offer for the Spaniard.
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Kalidou Koulibaly
The next one on this list of Chelsea transfer targets 2022 is Kalidou Koulibaly. This is one of the top midfielders in Europe. Playing in the Napoli shirt, the Senegal star was once valued at 80 million euros. However, now that Koulibaly is 31 years old and has 1 year left on his contract, the Italian team will reduce the price to about 40 million euros.
The latest reports claim that Chelsea has “no problem” in meeting Napoli’s £40m bid for the defender. Chelsea lost two of their best defenders, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Koulibaly’s contract with Napoli ends next season, meaning this summer is Napoli’s last chance to claim a sizable fee. Chelsea is set to spend £34m Napoli is asking to part with the defender.
- Detail: Kalidou Koulibaly transfer fee
Nathan Ake
Nathan Ake is another in this Chelsea transfer target list, who is the Man City player on the Radar. According to The Times, Chelsea has intensified negotiations with Man City about the signing of Nathan Ake. Ake’s strength lies in its versatility and flexibility in gameplay.
The 27-year-old is keen to join Tuchel’s side after spending seven years on the Chelsea books between 2011 and 2017 before a permanent move to Bournemouth.
After a year at Manchester City, Ake only played 14 matches in the Premier League. This makes the Dutch midfielder unhappy because he was only 27 years old and could not be settled as a secondary.
- Detail: Nathan Ake transfer fee
Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea is looking to sign promising French striker Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig for around £100m.
This season, the former young star of PSG has lit up the Bundesliga with a beautiful performance in the shirt of German club RB Leipzig. A versatile forward option capable of playing as a striker, attacking midfielder, or even as a winger.
Jules Kounde
Jules Kounde has been on Chelsea’s radar for some time as Thomas Tuchel’s men attempted to sign the Frenchman in the last transfer window.
Despite the failure to reach a contractual agreement, the Blues’ interest in the defender has held steady ever since.
Following the departure of Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea is expected to step up their efforts to acquire Kounde in the coming weeks.
De Ligt
Of the central defenders that Chelsea targets, De Ligt is said to be Tuchel’s favorite coach and his priority in Chelsea transfer targets. But his price was sky-high when Juventus asked for 80 million euros. Therefore, negotiations between Chelsea and the Italian team are at an impasse.
Despite having experience playing top-notch football at Ajax and Juventus, De Ligt is also the most suspected deal. The Dutch midfielder has a confident vision and style of play, but he manages poorly and is not good under pressure. Many experts believe that, if Chelsea buys De Ligt, they will repeat the same mistake when Manchester United spent £ 80 million to buy Harry Maguire.
Raheem Sterling
Chelsea could buy Manchester City attacker Raheem Sterling. The English player has consecutively won the Premier League title for Man City. The team has announced the signing of Erling Haaland. This makes it difficult for Sterling to find a regular spot in Pep’s squad.
Meanwhile, Chelsea is likely to release Timo Werner after his poor performances and Lukaku has gone to his old team. Sterling has scored 13 Premier League goals this season and made 30 appearances. Boehly said: “We are delighted that Raheem is returning to London with Chelsea, and we look forward to seeing his world-class talent on display at Stamford Bridge.”
The signing of Sterling was hailed by Boehly as “an important step in strengthening our squad”. The 27-year-old will train with Chelsea for the first time at UCLA on Wednesday and said he is looking forward to working with Tuchel.
- Detail: Raheem Sterling transfer fee
Chelsea transfer targets 2023/24
Mauricio Pochettino has finalized an agreement to lead Chelsea starting in the upcoming summer. As of now, Pochettino has begun his work at Stamford Bridge, and one of his priorities is to plan for the summer 2023 transfer window.
According to Chelsea FC latest transfer news done deals, Pochettino has requested the Blue management to add a top-class striker in the upcoming summer. This is understandable considering the abysmal goal-scoring record of The Blues this season. The team has only managed to score a mere 36 goals in the Premier League, which is the same number as Erling Haaland alone.
The addition of a striker to Chelsea’s squad will not be related to the future of Romelu Lukaku. Regardless of whether the Belgian striker continues to play for Chelsea next season or not, Pochettino still requires a top-quality center-forward.
Currently, Lukaku is on loan at Inter Milan. Upon his return to Chelsea, the 1993-born player will have a conversation with Pochettino to clarify his future.
Chelsea has already set its sights on some center-forwards in the transfer market, such as Victor Osimhen and Dusan Vlahovic. In addition to signing a striker, The Blues will also offload players who are no longer part of their summer plans. It is known that the number of players who need to depart from Stamford Bridge is enough to form an entire team.
Harry Kane
After appointing former beloved Spurs manager Pochettino, there is no better way to rub salt into the wound for the city rivals than targeting their prolific striker, Harry Kane.
While Kane has often been linked with Manchester United, a move to Stamford Bridge is not entirely out of the realm of possibility, especially considering his strong relationship with Pochettino – who turned him into a goal-scoring machine – and the opportunity to continue living in London, which would minimize disruptions for his family.
Of course, this would be a challenging and expensive deal because of Harry Kane transfer fee to pull off with the notoriously tough negotiator, Daniel Levy. However, Chelsea’s new leadership has shown their ruthlessness in pursuing key targets, and Lord knows Chelsea is in need of a world-class striker.
Romeo Lavia
Chelsea is also keen on adding another number 6 in the summer of 2023, despite the arrival of Enzo Fernandez for £106 million ($132 million) in January.
In reality, The Blues may need a midfielder who can contribute to both attacking organization and goal-scoring from the center of the field, but it seems they are looking for someone who can potentially replace N’Golo Kante.
Romeo Lavia, who was included in the NXGN Nine list, is a suitable option in that case. The 19-year-old player has shown remarkable development this season and has been a standout performer for Southampton, despite their difficult campaign.
Lavia possesses good abilities to evade pressing, impressive dribbling skills, and strong passing ability, making him a modern-day number 6 prototype. He could be available at a reasonable price as Southampton faces the risk of relegation.
Andre Onana
Goalkeeper is a position that Chelsea also wants to bring in a new name for, as neither Kepa Arrizabalaga nor Edouard Mendy are considered long-term solutions for the number one spot.
Andre Onana of Inter is the biggest name linked with a potential transfer to Stamford Bridge recently, and Chelsea will discuss their interest in the player during negotiations for Romelu Lukaku’s future in Italy.
Although not the tallest goalkeeper, Onana is a versatile shot-stopper and has good ball-handling abilities. He is comfortable in playing a high line and participating in the defense, almost like an additional virtual center-back, with good ball control skills. There is no doubt that he would be a significant upgrade over Chelsea’s current options, and he would also come at a much lower price compared to many other alternatives.
Conclusion
As Chelsea looks to maintain their competitive edge, identifying and signing top talents is crucial. The summer transfer window provides an opportunity for the club to bolster their squad and address any areas of improvement. Stay tuned to see which players Chelsea manages to secure in the coming months. Exciting times lie ahead for the Blue fans!
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