Transfer Centre

What is Chelsea's top priority for the summer transfer window?

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter and Barney Corkhill, Editor | 13 June 2023

Ahead of the summer transfer window opening on Wednesday, Sports Mole looks at the priority for Chelsea in the transfer market over the next few months.

Chelsea have so many issues that need resolving that you cannot pinpoint one specific area, but most important of all will be complying with Premier League regulations.

While Todd Boehly and co already faced the need to oversee sales this summer, that task has been made more urgent with less Premier League prize money and no European football for next season. Revenue streams have decreased, meaning that further reductions of the playing squad and wage bill are a necessity.

Given the Financial Fair Play restraints, academy products would make for pure profit if sold, so the likes of Mason Mount in particular may be cashed in on.

Some reports have suggested that as many as 15 players could be offloaded, including first-teamers such as Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mateo Kovacic, Cesar Azpilicueta, Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, as well as the returning Romelu Lukaku.

Despite the mass incomings over the past two transfer windows, though, Chelsea are still short in several areas, and that needs to be rectified if they are to avoid becoming a club locked in mid-table obscurity in the long term.

On top of the expected arrival of Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig, a new goalkeeper, central midfielder and centre-forward are an absolute must, as may be someone who can play as the most advanced of a midfield three or as a number 10 behind the striker.

Inter Milan's Andre Onana is understood to be their top target in the goalkeeping department, while Moises Caicedo is on their radar for midfield and Victor Osimhen is among the strikers being linked.

New manager Mauricio Pochettino will already have a core of academy graduates at his disposal, but he must also begin the process of integrating the next batch of Chelsea prospects into the senior ranks.

Lewis Hall has already shown that he is worthy of a place in Pochettino's squad, while current Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Levi Colwill and Brazilian starlet Andrey Santos should also be included in his new-look group, one which should be restricted to 23 to 25 players.