Five potential options for Chelsea’s fourth midfielder spot in 2021/22

5. Transfers

It may be incredibly hard to work out a midfield committee throughout the duration of the season, but it’d be equally as difficult to convince the two midfielders the Blues are currently linked with to jump ship and come to Chelsea to be fourth in the pecking order. Let’s get one thing clear right away: nobody is displacing Jorginho, Kante or Kovacic. The Blues have a double European winner, a legitimate Ballon d’Or candidate and a four-time Champions League winner in the depth chart, they’re set. Chelsea’s trio is getting up there in age, which is undoubtedly a concern for the near future, not this year though. It’s for this reason that Declan Rice and Aurelien Tchouameni would be reluctant to switch to the Blues right now.

Rice is the ideal midfielder for the future in SW6. He is a known Chelsea fan, having been in the academy for quite some time and he’s best pals with Mount. For West Ham, Rice has developed into one of the Premier League’s best young players. He’s established himself as a leader for David Moyes’ team over the last few years. Rice is nearly irreplaceable, as viewers saw when the Irons slipped down the table during his injury toward the end of last season. Further, he can play both defensive midfield (by himself or in a pair) and centerback. Tuchel—much like his predecessor—is a huge fan of Rice’s. The move is one to keep an eye on in the coming seasons, it just doesn’t make much sense for the player at this moment in time.

As for Tchouameni, he is one of the hottest midfield prospects in Europe right now. He had a breakout season with Monaco in Ligue 1 and will now attract the attention of those in need of a midfielder. Tchouameni is really the complete package, all he’s missing is experience. He can play as a defensive, holding, box-to-box or attacking midfielder. The 21-year-old’s biggest fan is Chelsea legend Cesc Fabregas, who he plays with at Monaco. Tchouameni could perhaps do with another season in the French top flight to continue to develop, per Fabregas. He’s certainly one to watch for the future for the Blues.

In the end, if Chelsea was willing to overspend on a midfielder and convince one of the two names above to join as a role player, it’d be a fantastic piece of business. However, it just doesn’t make sense for the two parties right now—I simply don’t see it happening. It’ll all depend on Tuchel’s wishes and how he sees this midfield conundrum playing out. One thing is for sure: while the Blues may not have a direct solution right now, they have a plethora of unique options.

Who do you think will deputize Tuchel’s favorite trio in the middle of the park? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!