The 2021 winter transfer window is in the books, and in truth it’s not one that is likely to last too long in the memory of Chelsea supporters.
There were no major incomings at Stamford Bridge, hardly a surprise given the spending spree the Blues embarked on in the summer. There were a couple of outgoings but only one had a bearing on the first-team squad.
That was Fikayo Tomori’s departure to AC Milan on loan. The centre-back will spend the remainder of the campaign with the Serie A leaders who have an option to buy the 23-year-old for around £26 million in the summer.
A busier end to the transfer window would have likely occurred had Frank Lampard not been replaced by Thomas Tuchel.
The German coach has given every player a clean slate. Those who were out of favour – for whatever reason – under the previous regime and were likely to depart have been given a chance to prove themselves.
So where does that leave the first-team squad? And what are the pressing issues that need addressing over the remainder of the season ahead of the summer window?
Let’s begin…
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy. Kepa Arrizabalaga, Willy Caballero, Karlo Ziger, Petr Cech
It’s clear after just two games that Mendy will be Tuchel’s number one; the 28-year-old has kept back-to-back clean sheets and was rarely troubled by either Wolverhampton Wanderers or Burnley.
Since arriving from Rennes in the summer, the Senegal international has largely been an assured figure between the posts, although there was a dip in his performances in the latter games of Lampard’s tenure.
Chelsea do continue to be linked with AC Milan stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is out of contract in the summer. And bringing in the highly-rated 21-year-old without having to pay a fee would be shrewd business. So there may be change in the summer.
Kepa, meanwhile, has had little opportunity to challenge for a starting role at Chelsea since Mendy was signed. He has played only four times since Mendy’s arrival and was culpable in his latest outing against Luton Town for the Hatters’ consolation in a 3-1 win.
The Spaniard remains the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, a tag that appears to weigh heavily on him. There was talk of a potential loan move in the winter window but that never materialised.
So he will remain at Stamford Bridge as deputy to Mendy but his long-term future remains uncertain. A summer transfer shouldn’t be ruled out.
Caballero is a reliable third-choice stopper at the age of 39 years old; it shouldn’t be forgotten he stepped in for key games at the end of last. There was interest in a move to MLS last month but he will see out his contract at Chelsea which runs until the summer.Ziger has been training with the first-team goalkeepers this season but is unlikely to be called upon. And it’s a similar situation with Cech, who was added to the Premier League squad in October as a “precautionary step” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Defenders: Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen, Ben Chilwell, Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri
An area of the squad that at first glance appears stacked, even after Tomori departed. But big calls are going to have to be made overy several players in the weeks and months ahead.
The first is whether Silva is handed another year at Stamford Bridge, and there is an option in the deal he signed in August to keep him at the club for the 2021/22 campaign. Given his performances this term it is something of a no-brainer to extend his day.
Things then get a bit tricky. Azpilicueta, Rudiger and Christensen all have 18 months remaining on their respective contracts and all are at different stages of their careers.
Azpilicueta will be 32 years old when his current deal ends, so there is no need for Chelsea to make an immediate decision over his future. They can be patient and see what level he is at come the summer of 2022.
Rudiger’s next contract, meanwhile, is likely to be the last big one of his career. He will be 28 years old at the end of this season and will almost certainly want to sign a long-term deal.
Given he is a big personality in the dressing room and seemingly trusted by Tuchel, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Chelsea tie him down.
That leaves Christensen. The Dane struggled for regular game time under Lampard and hasn’t been used in either of Tuchel’s first two matches. He has an abundance of talent but that hasn’t always translated into strong performances.
He turns 25 years old in April and unless things dramatically change, it won’t come as a big surprise to see the academy graduate depart this summer. And that could open up a spot for Dayot Upamecano to arrive, although Marc Guehi may have something to say about that given his form out on loan at Swansea City.
If Chelsea go to a back four under Tuchel, the right-back spot is almost certainly locked down by Reece James. No worries there.
On the opposite flank, the Blues are somewhat overstocked. Ben Chilwell is the to-go left-back a back four and Marcos Alonso proved his worth against Burnley on Sunday when deployed as a wing-back.
It leaves Emerson as the odd man out. His contract also expires in the summer of 2022 so don’t be surprised to see Chelsea cash in on the Italian international come the end of this season.
Midfielders: N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, Billy Gilmour
There is a wide range of midfield talent available to Tuchel. Quite how he uses it all will be intriguing.
Kante is, when fit, a guaranteed starter. The Frenchman is at his best as part of a two-man midfield, as explained in greater detail here. So expect him to thrive in Tuchel’s system.
Who partners him isn’t an easy decision. Jorginho and Kovacic have done so in the past but neither have the energy or pressing instincts of Mount. The quick feet and smooth passing of Gilmour would also complement Kante’s skill set nicely.
And that is before you even consider the likes of Conor Gallagher, Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek will return from their respective loan spells in the summer looking to break into the first-team picture at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have been linked with several midfielders this season, such as Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria, but unless there is an exit or two, it’s not an area that needs attention in the near future.
Attackers: Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Tammy Abraham, Olivier Giroud
Chelsea arguably have the strongest collection of attackers of any Premier League side. In terms of strength in depth, perhaps only Manchester City can match the Blues.
There will be changes come the summer, though. Giroud is expected to depart when his contract expires at the end of this season.
The Frenchman has proved himself a valuable member of the first team squad time and time again since he signed from Arsenal in 2018, but at 34 years old, he will likely want greater assurances over his game time going forward.
His departure could open up a spot for Erling Haaland. The 20-year-old is one of the most coveted forwards in Europe and Chelsea will reportedly try to lure him to Stamford Bridge this summer.
In order to do so, the Blues will need to be able to offer Champions League football. So there is work to be done by Tuchel and his players.
The rest of the Chelsea attack is set for the foreseeable future. Werner, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic and Ziyech have contracts that run until 2024 or later.
Abraham’s deal expires in the summer of 2023, but if a striker of Haaland’s pedigree and youth was to arrive he may understandably opt to depart.
At 23 years old, the academy graduate is ready to be a regular starter for a Premier League side. If Chelsea can’t afford that, plenty of sides will.
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