Chelsea: Which players from relegated sides should Blues target?

The Premier League table is now final, which players from Norwich, Watford and Bournemouth should Chelsea target in the market?

Another season in the history books—finally—and another three teams relegated to England’s second tier. Norwich was the first to go, but history suggests the Canaries will probably bounce back up soon enough. On the final day, they were joined by Bournemouth and Watford. The Cherries won hearts during their early years in the top flight, but have grown stagnant since. Watford looked on course for safety, but the shock dismissal of Nigel Pearson—quickly followed by a demolishing at the hands of Manchester City—saw the Hornets join the relegation brigade.

These sides may have failed as teams this year, but each has individuals with huge potential. They have players who could well fit into Frank Lampard’s plans for next year. We look at one player from each of the relegated sides who Chelsea should consider bringing aboard.

Norwich: Jamal Lewis

Perhaps Chelsea’s most pressing issue right now is the left back position. In all likeliness, we will probably see Roman Abramovich splash the cash on a more proven star, but Norwich City’s Jamal Lewis could provide a more affordable alternative. It would be easy to look at the table and assume Norwich’s defence has been the main cause of the team’s demise, having conceded a league-high 70 goals. However, the Canaries’ downfall is more so the result of their brand of high-tempo, exciting football. What worked so well for them in the second division unfortunately didn’t play out the same in the top flight.

When the Canaries played Chelsea two weeks ago, the average age of their back four was just 24, brought up largely by the veteran Timm Klose (32). Lewis is only 22 and this was his first year playing in the Premier League. There is room for improvement, of course, particularly on the defensive side of the Northern Irishman’s game. However, he would be available for a fraction of the price Leicester will demand for Ben Chilwell and let’s face it, he can’t be worse than Alonso.

Watford: Abdoulaye Doucoure

This is not the first time someone has linked Doucoure with a move to Chelsea and I doubt it will be the last. The French midfielder has been the Hornets’ best player for a number of years now and it’s amazing he hasn’t already been snapped up. Despite a relatively quiet season of just six goal contributions, Doucoure has shown his ability as a top tier box-to-box midfielder. At 27, Doucoure is in the prime of his career and it is highly unlikely he will stay in Hertfordshire much longer. Watford need to lighten the wage bill, so should be available at a reasonable price.

Many amongst the Chelsea faithful have grown restless with the performances of Jorginho whilst injuries have plagued the likes of N’Golo Kante and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this season. With Champions League football to look forward to, Chelsea will need a central midfielder Lampard can rely on to appear week-in and week-out. Doucoure has appeared in all but one Premier League game this season—through suspension—and is behind only goalkeeper Ben Foster in total minutes for Watford, fifth among all midfielders in the league. Signing Doucoure should by no means be considered essential, but it would certainly be the cherry on top of what promises to be the most exciting transfer window for Blues fans in years.

Bournemouth: Harry Wilson

The main stumbling block for this move wouldn’t be Wilson’s lack of talent, that much is clear. However, with Ziyech and possibly more big-name stars headed for the bridge it is unlikely the Welshman would find himself a regular starter. That said, this transfer just makes sense. Under Lampard, Wilson scored 15 goals in the Championship for Derby County. If things had gone the Rams’ way in the play-off final, there is every chance that Lampard and Wilson would still be at Derby right now. Instead, Aston Villa won promotion and Harry Wilson secured a loan move to Bournemouth.

This season, he has scored seven goals for the Cherries. Among these, a number of set piece spectaculars—making him the perfect fit for a potential Willian-shaped vacancy coming up at the Bridge. As I said, Chelsea’s attack next season looks pretty loaded, but with Pedro and possibly Willian headed for the exit door, now seems the perfect time to stock up on youth. Wilson is only 23 and could flourish playing alongside Mason Mount once again. If Chelsea wants to compete on all fronts next season, the Blues will need depth and the Welsh winger could be an inexpensive, but talented, addition.

Which players do you think Chelsea should sign from clubs relegated from the Premier League? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!