Chelsea winter evaluation: What the Blues need in the summer

Chelsea opted not to buy in January so there is no reason not to splash the cash in the summer. There are many holes to fill.

After going over every keeper, fullback, center back, center mid, attacking mid, winger, striker, and even youth, what Chelsea really needs in the summer becomes much more evident. With the Blues not spending in January and having, in theory, two summers and a winters worth of cash, there is no reason not to splash it out. But what areas need the love the most?

Must haves

Perhaps the position Frank Lampard has been most unhappy with has been the left back spot. Marcos Alonso and Emerson are both largely okay in their element, but overall they lack the stuff that Lampard requires. It would be downright shocking to see Chelsea not prioritize a left back signing.

Ben Chilwell has been linked, but his star has faded somewhat in recent months. Alex Grimaldo and Alex Telles have also been mentioned at times, but they seem more like outside bets this early on.

At first glance, a winger seems like a luxury buy but because Pedro is sure to leave and Willian might, the Blues will need someone to fill in. A big splash might be harsh on Callum Hudson-Odoi or Christian Pulisic, but it could also be a case of the more the merrier.

Jadon Sancho is obviously the one everyone wants but that type of cash may be prohibitive. It is unclear what direction Chelsea would take if Sancho could not join simply because it seems like he is priority one.

The last position Chelsea will need to strengthen is striker. Tammy Abraham will obviously remain a starter, but he needs some help that Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud simply cannot provide. Lampard needs more options he can trust.

All of January, it appeared to be Timo Werner to come in and supplement Abraham but that deal never materialized. Werner would be more of a “start with Abraham” type of signing but the Blues need that type of fresh idea.