Chelsea are already one of the busiest clubs in the transfer window in preparation for next season. They have already added Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner looks set to follow.
Leicester and England defender Ben Chilwell and Germany wonderkid Kai Havertz have also been linked in recent days, while it has been reported that Frank Lampard also wants a world-class centre-back.
The way the Blues are going, with Roman Abramovich's support, can they compete for silverware next season?
Our team debate whether the five-time Premier League champions will be ready to rival Liverpool, Man City and the rest of Europe.
Paul Higham (@SportsPaulH)
Roman Abramovich is certainly making up for lost time, those rubles have been burning a hole in his pocket after the transfer ban and he may not stop at just Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech either. Those two do add an extra layer of excitement to this young Chelsea side though, and they could certainly shock a few people if they can get on a run next season.
Werner was a no-brainer, but kudos to Chelsea for moving so quickly when Liverpool strangely backed out of the deal. That wasn’t a good look for the champions-elect, but it shows that in these days of financial uncertainty, having a mega-rich owner really does make you immune from trouble.
Man City will be the same, and these two could really leave the rest standing in the transfer market this summer – for all the uncertainty, if you have money in the bank there could be some bargains to be hard when picking off cash-strapped clubs around Europe. It’s ruthless, it’s brutal, but that’s football.
Back to Chelsea’s title chances though – and there’s enough attacking menace there to see them make a half-decent challenge I suppose, there’s just a bit too much of the unknown for me to really trust in them. The next few months to a year of football is going to test even the most hardened and experienced players, let alone youngsters who can thrive off the thrill of playing in front of a big crowd.
Werner, Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Billy Gilmour - that's some line-up of potential talent, but it’s just potential at the moment as exciting as it looks on paper… (insert old cliché here). Frank Lampard may take a while to find the right recipe to use all these fresh vibrant footballing ingredients, but signing Werner tells you one thing – Abramovich and Chelsea aren’t playing games, they want to win again, soon.
Plus, the transfer window hasn’t even opened yet – and if they were to go out and get another big-money signing at centre back then it could be a different story.
Joe Townsend (@JoesterT)
So wide is the gap between Liverpool, Manchester City and everyone else that on the face of it something dramatic would have to happen to see a club outside of that duo challenge for the Premier League title in 2021.
Well first of all, something dramatic has happened. The coronavirus pandemic is having a huge financial impact on all walks of life, with football no exception. So it certainly does provide an opportunity for some teams to bridge the aforementioned gap, if, that is, they are still able to invest heavily.
And it seems Chelsea are.
Second of all, teams are very often a lot closer to being the finished article than they seem to be, with the addition of one player sometimes the catalyst for rapid improvement. The best recent example I can think of is Luis Suarez's arrival transforming Liverpool from also-rans in 2013 to within a whisker of the title in 2014. You could even argue Manchester United's January signing of Bruno Fernandes is a similar scenario, though as yet over a much shorter period of time.
My basic point is that however far off a team looks to be, it's rarely that far.
Which finally brings me on to Chelsea and what appears to be a summer cash injection while many of their rivals tighten their belts. With a FIFA disciplinary case still subject to an appeal which could result in a further transfer ban, this is doubly expedient from their billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.
Not only can the Blues strengthen while others can't, but it could be the last time they are actually able to for quite a while. Having already been unable to properly do so for 18 months.
And Frank Lampard certainly needs a little bit of help.
With the youngest starting XI in the Premier League, statistically they're actually third behind Man Utd and Bournemouth but 38-year-old Willy Caballero's increased game-time this season skews the numbers, and with experienced duo Pedro and Willian set to depart, proven quality is needed.
Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech provide that.
If Ben Chilwell also arrives to solve the troublesome left-back role then Chelsea's team is beginning to looking world class, and their squad would also maintain the competitive depth that it currently benefits from. But I would have my doubts unless Lampard is able to bring in what his youthful squad is sorely lacking - a leader in the middle of the pitch.
Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte all had one thing in common in their title-winning seasons - the team was littered with leaders down its spine.
If the current Chelsea boss can sign a centre-back or central midfielder to be the beating heart of his side, and therefore the final piece in his jigsaw, then I really could see them being a threat.
Without it, I think the top four should remain the limit of Chelsea's expectations.
Dale Tempest (@SkyBet_Dale)
There’s no doubt that at any level of football an inspired signing can change a team's fortunes and be the catalyst to great things. But who are those top players, the ones that can transform a club? There aren’t many and in truth you're usually not 100% convinced until at least a year into their spell.
For example we knew Virgil van Dijk was instant gold dust for Liverpool, but it took a while before it became obvious how crucial Aymeric Laporte was for Manchester City - add to that Fernandinho, whose importance grows the more he plays. Bruno Fernandes in his 12 games at Manchester United has kick-started their season like nobody (not even Ole Gunnar Solskjaer) thought possible.
So is Timo Werner the missing link to make Chelsea title contenders?
He’s an exciting addition and at 24 his best years are definitely ahead of him, and that’s despite hitting 65 goals in his last four seasons in the Bundesliga. Add to that the 29 assists and it’s obvious he’s one of the games hottest properties.
But I’m afraid no has to be the answer to the question.
It’s the oldest cliche in the game but in this instance "you win nothing with kids" sounds like a definite truism. Chelsea are in transition, they’ve been forced to use young players by the UEFA transfer ban and in all honesty that’s been a breath of fresh but does another season of experience and a star signing really take them from 48 points to anywhere near where Liverpool (82) and Man City (57 with a game in hand) are?
I do like Lampard’s measured authority and he deserves praise for his first year in the top flight but look at his squad going into 20/21: Werner, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Reece James, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Billy Gilmour - all aged between 19 and 24. There is some incredible young talent but that still leaves them well short of a challenge for the title.
Their experienced players also look in transition. Willian has been excellent but often underrated in what he brings to the squad, and he's on his way out. N'Golo Kante doesn’t seem to fit into Lampard’s system, sometimes looking like a square peg in a round hole, Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta are only 29 and 30 respectively but feel like yesterday’s men.
At the heart of the defence, Kurt Zouma, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen don’t offer top level authority or confidence, while Kepa certainly thinks he’s a lot better goalkeeper than he really is. His poisonous attitude when refusing to be substituted at Wembley should have seen him moved out of the club, but he’s 25 and talented so they're giving him another chance. He hasn’t offered any stability at the back and hence the 39 goals conceded by the fourth-placed team looks poor compared to that of Liverpool (21), Manchester City (31) Leicester (28) Manchester United (30) Wolves (34) and Sheffield United (25).
Can they improve? Yes. But not enough to push the very best in the league.
I must admit I enjoy watching Chelsea. They're always progressive and looking to play fast, moving passing football and in all honesty at times they’ve looked sensational. They out-thought and outplayed Jose Mourinho and Spurs away from home, and who can forget the five goals they put past Wolves in September. But my mind goes back to the naivety on their first visit to the Etihad in November and how it became embarrassingly men against boys when Bayern Munich humiliated them in the Champions League in February.
If I priced up the 2020/21 Premier League season today I’d be looking at Liverpool and Man City as close favourites, then Manchester United third, followed by Tottenham, then Chelsea, Leicester and finally Everton and Arsenal.
If we ever get back to watching games in a stadium then I’m sure the Chelsea fans will be in for a fun ride but don’t be expecting titles any time soon.
How Chelsea could line up in 20/21
How Chelsea could line up under Frank Lampard in 2020/21 Premier League - including Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech.
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