If recent weeks are any indication, Mauricio Pochettino will have his work cut out for him if he accepts the Chelsea coaching position. Since Frank Lampard assumed the role of caretaker manager until the end of the season, the Blues have dropped six straight games.
In order to start trimming their squad and give Pochettino a manageable number to deal with when preseason begins, Chelsea will aim to conduct a lot of business. With 20 loanees returning in addition to the 31 senior players the Blues are familiar with, that will be crucial.
There will be some goal movement for the Blues. Both Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga's futures are uncertain because they each have two years left on their contracts. Given the lower investment the west London club made in the Senegal international, Mendy may prove to be the easier transfer target, whereas Kepa's high salary will continue to make a transfer challenging. However, his countryman David Raya, a Brentford goalie who is already a resident of London, could enter to offer some competition for the No. 1 spot.
As Chelsea transitions to its next generation in 2023–24, the defence has the chance to be fairly stable. Even though Kalidou Koulibaly has interest from Italy, the Blues have a number of other players at their disposal.
Reece James will receive some much-needed support from Malo Gusto as Marc Cucurella and Ben Chilwell work on the left. Next season, Lewis Hall might look for a loan, but Ian Maatsen now seems more likely to leave the team.
Retaining Levi Colwill after his loan to Brighton is essential to ensuring Chelsea's future. He will profit from Thiago Silva's expertise and may contribute to Chelsea's dynamic young backline that includes Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
Even with the arrival of Enzo Fernandez, the Blues' first priority in the summer market is still the midfield. Declan Rice would be a fantastic addition and could thrive under Pochettino, but since rivals like Arsenal can offer Champions League football, it might be challenging to make that move.
In order to give the Blues a variety of players in the centre of the pitch, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek may go as they approach the end of their contracts and Chelsea seizes their final chance to make a profit. Meanwhile, Andrey Santos is scheduled to join the first team in the summer.
Despite Mason Mount's ties to Liverpool, Pochettino may have the chance to work with him. He will have a year to convince the 24-year-old that Chelsea is where he wants to continue his career, while Christian Nkunku is on his way to provide another striker option to Chelsea's lineup. Working with Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech, who wanted moves in the most recent transfer window, may be difficult for the former Spurs manager.
But it's clear that Chelsea needs a striker, so players like Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk might have to find a new player to root for. Victor Osimhen won't be cheap, but given that the club decided not to spend a lot of money on Erling Haaland two years ago, there may be a desire to try and fix the issue sooner rather than later than Romelu Lukaku's arrival. Once he has recovered from his injury, Armando Broja ought to have more chances to advance and offer some genuine competition.
Squad: Kepa Arrizabalaga, David Raya, Marcus Bettinelli, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, N'Golo Kante, Declan Rice, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Carney Chukwuemeka, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Christian Nkunku, Armando Broja, Victor Osimhen.
Squad: Kepa Arrizabalaga, David Raya, Marcus Bettinelli, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, N'Golo Kante, Declan Rice, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Carney Chukwuemeka, Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount, Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Christian Nkunku, Armando Broja, Victor Osimhen.
