Chelsea are expected to be busy in the summer with the club on the hunt for several key signings.
Despite the Blues struggling to convert chances, their biggest problems arguably lie in defence. Liam Rosenior has been forced to cope with multiple injuries, including to Levi Colwill, who has missed the entire campaign following an ACL injury in pre-season.
It isn't just fitness problems Chelsea have though. They lack leadership at the back and need to add proven quality if they're to compliment their generally young squad.
A new centre back is a top priority and several names have already been earmarked. Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix is the latest name to be linked but one of the Blues' longest standing targets has been Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi.
The Argentine defender will be a free agent at the end of the season and that has unsurprisingly sparked a wave of interest from clubs clambering for his signature, and Chelsea were in the mix but latest reports now suggest otherwise.
Chelsea set to miss out on Marcos Senesi as Liverpool transfer looms
Hoping to capitalise on Senesi's free status, Chelsea have been one of several top clubs in talks with his agents.
However, despite being able to offer him a huge salary package — considerably more than his £50,000-per week deal at Bournemouth — it doesn't look like Chelsea will win the race.
According to The i Paper, Liverpool are in the driving seat and favourites to sign the 28-year-old with both Manchester United and Chelsea cooling their interest and opting against making a formal move.
Should Senesi make the move to Anfield, he will likely be viewed as a long term successor to Virgil Van Dijk, who is approaching his 35th birthday and entering into the final year of his contract.
Senesi update isn't the end of the world
Chelsea will have to accept that Senesi is probably going to slip through the net, but that doesn't mean sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart won't already have their eye on other targets.
It remains unknown just how much money the club have delegated to a new centre back but expect BlueCo to go big.
While Bournemouth's number five would have been a great addition, there is equal, or better, value out there, and not just in the free agent's market.
Chelsea's biggest challenge will be signing a defender who can seamlessly fit into Rosenior's system and philosophy while simultaneously proving they can cope with the Premier League's physical demands.
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