Chelsea’s transfer blueprint: Sign Havertz; lock up Rice, a LB and a GK

Chelsea’s going to be very busy in the summer transfer window, but here is the order in which the Blues should conduct their business.

After a blistering start to the transfer window wherein Chelsea stunned the football world by signing Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, the club has now slowed in its signings of top talents. The Blues need to speed up the chase before other clubs around Europe catch up. There is no time to waste as the 2020/21 Chelsea team begins the preseason in a matter of weeks. The club has to get going on signing Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and then getting a top left back and keeper before the start of next season.

Chelsea moved with lightning speed to lock up two terrific talents in Ziyech and Werner. These are no ordinary players and in a normal offseason, they alone would make the window a success. Yet, this is not a normal window. Through some extraordinary individual efforts—e.g. Pulisic, Giroud, Willian and Mount—Chelsea was able to defy all odds and emerge with Champions League qualification under the brilliant tutelage of Frank Lampard. This was simply an amazing achievement, but after two windows without transfers, there is a lot of ground to make up and not a lot of time to make it happen.

The team has to be remade according to the specifications of its already distinguished, yet only two-year experienced head coach. Lampard seems to have strong input into the transfer business alongside super recruiter and executive, Petr Cech. This duo has blazed an amazing trail already and the opening for Havertz—a unique superstar in the making—is there now. Chelsea has to seize the day and get this signing over the line soon.

Havertz is a magician with the ball at his feet and is also tremendously versatile. Coupled with Ziyech on the right, they will create a nightmare scenario for opposing defenses. Add any combination of Werner, Christian Pulisic, Olivier Giroud, Tammy Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi to the equation, and its lights out for many opponents next season. That attack will clearly rival the best in the UK and maybe in all of Europe when it is finally achieved.

Rice is another player in which the Blues should waste no time bringing back to Stamford Bridge. The English defensive midfielder is the best choice at the back for Chelsea and he should be next in line after Havertz. Some key attributes: he’s young, fairly tall, strong, a natural leader, he excels in defensive midfield and is evidently looked upon as a great fit in central defense by Lampard. That versatility, toughness, size and youth screams out for the Blues to sign the young man now.

Finally, there are two additional positions in which a majority of Chelsea aficionados accept the need for reinforcements in the summer. The most important of those positions being left back. One of Emerson or Marcos Alonso will be definitely be sold this window—if not both. Emerson will likely be the casualty as his young age attracts a more broad audience. This is a smart move on all fronts as not only does it open a spot at the position, but it brings funds to help defray the cost of acquiring other players. Alonso is a good squad player if he accepts the role, a favorite qualifier, but that role should be emphasized. Should Lampard choose a 3-4-3 set-up for tactical reasons, Alonso is solid in the wingback role and therefore, still has a lot to offer.

It’s important to note the new fullback addition cannot be a budget-buster. The club will have already spent big on several players if this blueprint is adhered to and it will have to go lighter on these next two signings if that’s the case. Lampard wants Ben Chilwell of Leicester City, but if his cost is in the £50 million area, it is prohibitive. There are other solid options available that reportedly will cost roughly only half that amount. They would be Nicolas Tagliafico of Ajax; Alex Telles of Porto and Sergio Reguilon of Real Madrid (on loan to Sevilla). Any one of these players would likely be an appreciable upgrade over the current left backs, leaving funds available for another key need, like goalkeeper.

The last major addition, critical to helping bring Chelsea closer to the top, is a strong keeper. Ajax’s Andre Onana is a solid possibility. He is young, has great reflexes, has played in big game and seems to like the idea of playing in west London. Chelsea is looking to concede fewer goals than this woeful season, Ziyech’s close goalkeeping friend would help this go through.

Another possibility is Dean Henderson, from Manchester United, recently on loan at Sheffield United. Henderson is an excellent keeper, a sure upgrade over Arrizabalaga, but will Man United oblige Chelsea, as Chelsea has for the Red Devils in the past (Mata and Matic come to mind)?

A third and final option is a keeper who is looked upon by many as the best in the world, Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid. If this transfer can drop out of the sky and happen, it would be a dream signing. The Slovenian is truly outstanding; however, the cost would surely be prohibitive. A fee in excess of £100 million, well, that will just not be doable without several players going back to Atletico in return. That is unlikely, but if it could happen, what a signing Oblak would be. Any non-move on the goalkeeper front would be a disaster, not only for the club, but also in its public relations.

Ultimately, these decisions will be left up to Lampard, Cech and the club leadership. There is a blueprint for the Blues’ next moves in this critical transfer window, their most important in years. As the ensuing weeks roll on, hopefully the club will conclude the essential deals and then move on to tie down the ancillary moves that could very possibly lead to domestic and European greatness.