What is Chelsea’s next transfer priority after Romelu Lukaku?

Chelsea will announce Romelu Lukaku any moment now, if it hasn’t already been announced by the time you read this. The Blues may have had a slow start to the summer but, ultimately, the club did go get its number one priority in someone (anyone!) that can find the back of the net.

With Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea done and dusted, the Blues can now turn their attention to other priorities in the last weeks of this transfer window. As always, there are two main threads to this: the outs and the ins.

Chelsea has struggled with the outs for most of the window. The Blues are one of the few clubs able to buy at or above market value. The clubs the Blues need to sell to simply don’t have that kind of cash. So, the likes of Danny Drinkwater, Michy Batshuayi, and Tiemoue Bakayoko are still around until the club lowers its asking prices for them.

The overall squad picture for next season does make things clearer though. Tammy Abraham and Armando Broja are expected to be sold and loaned pretty much as soon as Lukaku comes through the door. Trevoh Chalobah is also due a loan with the centerback depth about to get heavier.

Jules Kounde seems to be the most likely to follow Lukaku. That deal has been all but done for almost two weeks now, only being stalled when Chelsea’s number one priority became possible. But there may be a situation brewing where he isn’t the next target coming into the club.

Chelsea still lacks a fourth choice midfielder. Ruben Loftus-Cheek seems to have the spot for now, but he hasn’t been listed for the Super Cup squad (yet, there is still time to make adjustments). Chalobah also hasn’t been listed and though he is seen as a centerback for loan purposes, he can play in midfield quite well. Ethan Ampadu has returned, but it would be a strange tradeoff of Chalobah and Ampadu for the latter to find himself with the first team this year.

It seems unlikely that Mason Mount will be pushed into the pivot this season even if it does clear up the congestion in the forward spots. Mount does seem to do his best work from deepest and Thomas Tuchel did try him in the pivot a few times last season. Mount is probably best deepest when it is a midfield three, however, so moving him into the pair would take some doing even if it helps up top decisions.

Overall, even with the Kounde deal basically done other than the price, it does seem like centermid will be Chelsea’s next target. Declan Rice seems out of reach after Chelsea’s spending this summer (much like last summer), which turns attention towards other, cheaper targets. Aurelien Tchouameni hasn’t been reliably linked for a while now, but he seems to be the fans’ choice. Meanwhile, Ampadu was used as a centerback last time out but he could be given a test at midfield in the Super Cup. And, much like Lukaku came out of left field, so too could a midfield signing in the coming weeks.

Kounde seems a matter of when not if, but he may be put on hold as a center midfielder moves up the priority list. Chelsea can’t go into next season with just three options when two start, so something has to reveal itself there from within or from a transfer before Kounde becomes the new priority.