Chelsea look set to appoint Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca as a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino, and according to Fabrizio Romano, the Italian coach will be involved with transfer dealings, with four positions to be targeted.
Despite Pochettino getting a tune out of his players in the second half of the season, the Blues will be looking for reinforcements so they can prepare to battle for the Champions League places. Since Todd Boehly arrived at Stamford Bridge, the American businessman has spent a hefty amount of money with limited results, so it will be interesting to see if they implement the same strategy this summer.
Chelsea Could Make Around Five Signings
Centre-back, striker, winger, and goalkeeper
Writing in his daily briefing, Italian reporter Romano has suggested that Chelsea will be busy in the summer transfer window, with Maresca involved in the recruitment process. The respected journalist believes the Blues could sign around five players, with centre-backs, goalkeepers, wingers, and strikers targeted…
“And remember – it will be a busy summer for Chelsea, with around five signings, maybe less, maybe more, but for sure they are looking at goalkeepers, maybe one or two centre-backs, and they’re also looking at central strikers and wingers. Chelsea will be busy, and Maresca will be involved.”
The Leicester boss, who is close to joining the Blues, has a style of play which might not suit certain members of the Chelsea squad, so new additions may be necessary to help implement his tactics at Stamford Bridge. Maresca focuses heavily on possession-based football and playing out from the back, so technically gifted players could be a priority in the upcoming window.
| Leicester City Championship statistics – 2023/24 season rankings | ||
|---|---|---|
| Stats | Output | Squad rank |
| Wins | 31 | 1st |
| Team rating | 6.82 | 1st |
| Goals scored | 89 | 3rd |
| Possession | 66.1% | 2nd |
| xG | 91.39 | 2nd |
| Statistics via WhoScored – Correct as of 29/05/2024 | ||
The west London outfit need to find a balance between strengthening their squad and not stockpiling players after Boehly’s excessive spending since his arrival. When everyone is fit, Maresca is going to be forced to leave out of a host of stars who won’t be happy, including plenty of youngsters who need game time for their development.
Chelsea Set to Battle for Eberechi Eze
Tottenham are also keen
Sources have confirmed to GIVEMESPORT that Chelsea could be in the race to sign Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze during the summer transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur are also said to be keen, while the Eagles won’t be willing to enter negotiations for less than £60m.
Palace are confident they will be able to fend off interest in Eze this summer, but that is unlikely to stop the likes of Tottenham and Chelsea registering their interest in the England international.
