Chelsea Transfer Focus: Who they need and who they don't

10-Jul-2012 10:50:00 AM

The Champions League winners cannot let the trophy paper over their cracks as they have already begun their metamorphosis to a more exciting style. Who can they add or subtract?

Previous Season Performance

Premier League: 6th

UCL: Winners

F.A. Cup: Winners

Positions that need Reinforcements

With three major free transfers of first team players, Chelsea look a little lightweight in a couple of departments.

With Drogba gone, they will miss
a literally huge presence up front

First would be the release of Jose Bosingwa on a free transfer. When you look at who is after Branislav Ivanovic in the pecking order for right-back now that the Portuguese is gone, it isn't pretty reading. There's the 34 year old Paulo Ferreira, who has been a loyal servant to the club, but really, Chelsea have in him a player drinking out the last dregs of his career. And at the other end of the spectrum, the decidedly unproven 22 year old Sam Hutchinson, who returned from enforced retirement after treatment of his debilitating knee problem.

The other problem of sorts is in a position where just last season they had an embarrassment of options in. That is the position of striker/goalscoring winger. With the sale of Anelka and the release of Drogba and Kalou, the only proven talent they have upfront is Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge. The only other realistic striking options would be the severely inexperienced Romelu Lukaku and Lucas Piazon, although they are definitely ones to look out for in the future.

While Chelsea are trying to remove their reliance on the classic centre forward and ease in a system for a goal-poaching central striker with greater support from an attacking midfield, depth of squad would certainly be a concern in the department.

Who's Likely to Come In?

Experienced right-back Douglas Maicon has long since been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and would be a perfect stopgap replacement to cycle with Ivanovic for around two seasons as Hutchinson, Todd Kane and Tomas Kalas all gain a bit more experience and maturity. With the value said to be anything between £5-8 million, what they are getting for the price would be a steal. Other names linked with the position have been Mathieu Debuchy, Cesar Azpilicueta and Gregory van der Wiel.

For the forward conundrum, it's a bit more tricky. Rumours of Hulk's impending transfer reached a frenzy a few weeks ago but have dropped off since. Perhaps a good thing because the most likely course of action would have been to push Daniel Sturridge even lower down the pecking order for it. A smarter option would be the one Chelsea had a bid rejected for this week. That is signing the exciting young German, Andre Schurrle to give Marko Marin some company. With Schurrle and Sturridge around the same age, vying for the same position, it can only develop them both. But if they are looking to play Sturridge as a centre forward, and also strengthen the position then a name that's gaining steam is Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski.

Probable Departures

In all likelihood, Chelsea are finished with their chopping and changing for the summer. With the possible exception of Yossi Benayoun, who might very well leave the club with rumours of newly-promoted West Ham keen to re-sign the Israeli international. Otherwise, the departures of Bosingwa, Kalou and Drogba are quite large-scale. There are slight rumours talking of Florent Malouda's departure as well, but nothing even beginning to be concrete.

Formation

GOALKEEPER

Petr Cech
(Ross Turnbull)
(Hilario)

RIGHT-BACK	CENTRE BACK	CENTRE BACK	LEFT-BACK
Branislav Ivanovic (Paulo Ferreira)	David Luiz (Branislav Ivanovic)	John Terry (Gary Cahill)	Ashley Cole (Ryan Bertrand)

CENTRAL MIDFIELD (DEFENSIVE)	CENTRAL MIDFIELD (PLAYMAKER)
John Obi Mikel (Michael Essien) (Oriol Romeu)	Frank Lampard (Raul Meireles) (Josh McEachran)

RIGHT ATTACKING MIDFIELD	CENTRE ATTACKING MIDFIELD	LEFT ATTACKING MIDFIELD
Ramires (Marko Marin)	Eden Hazard (Kevin de Bruyne)	Juan Mata (Florent Malouda)

CENTRE FORWARD

Fernando Torres
(Daniel Sturridge)
(Romelu Lukaku)

Fan Zone

Shivalik Sen says that it would have to be "Mario Gotze because he's probably the most exciting midfield prospect in Europe right now, and I'd love to see him partner Josh McEachran in midfield some day."

Priya Ramesh, meanwhile, opines that it would be best to have "Joao Moutinho because Essien has lost his X factor, Meireles has off-days too often and Lampard is metamorphosising into a Giggs-type of player."

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