Best front three but how do Chelsea become Premier League title challengers? Former Blues star explains - with Moises Caicedo having a key role to play

Big money has been spent on assembling an attacking unit that is the envy of many heavyweight outfits across world football. Palmer was prised from Manchester City's clutches in 2023 for £40 million ($53m), becoming a PFA Young Player of the Year, while Pedro left Brighton for west London in 2025 as part of a £60m ($80m) package. Rogers became the most expensive British player in history when joining Chelsea from Aston Villa for £117m ($156m) in the summer of 2026.

The Blues also have the likes of Brazilian wonderkid Estevao, exciting Portuguese teenager Geovany Quenda, Jamie Gittens, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha on their books. There is certainly no shortage of firepower at Xabi Alonso’s disposal.

Defensive leaks have, however, proved difficult to plug in 2026-27. World Cup-winning Argentine goalkeeper Emi Martinez has been acquired to help aid that cause, while £52m ($69m) was splashed out on French centre-half Maxence Lacroix in the last transfer window.

Chelsea also boast useful experience in their ranks, courtesy of England internationals such as Reece James and Jordan Henderson, but are yet to display the kind of consistency that will put them in contention to land a first Premier League crown since 2017.

Asked what the Blues need to do in order to turn potential into something more tangible, ex-Chelsea winger Nevin - who was speaking in association with Netbet Casino - told GOAL: “Oddly enough, this question is a different one this week than it was last week. Because the question last week was about the back three that are clearly going to play in a 3-4-2-1.

“He'll [Alonso] adapt it, but that's where he wants to be. That back three has to be good. The wing-backs in the four, they're the most important players in that team, oddly enough, because they need to do two jobs and they need to be good and they need to be specialists. I think he's got people who can do that job. Absolutely.

“Back three, you're going to be left on your own a little bit. You're going to find yourself one-on-one sometimes. It just happens with a back three, so it's a different way of playing. And are they as good as they have to be? No, they're not. I don't think anyone would argue. I reckon the back three wouldn’t argue with that at Chelsea, whoever they happen to be that particular week. So that's the thing they have to sort out.

“It might be that they're already there, but they didn't have Caicedo in front of them, because Caicedo is your extra man. Other players can play in that six role that's sitting in the middle of the midfield and do it well, neat and tidy and all the rest of it, but he's the one that reads it.

“And when he's at his absolute best, he is your other centre-back - he's your fourth one. But he wasn't there from the start of the season, so you haven't got that. When you lose the ball, he's back in there, he's covering you, you see him in the space, you see what the problem is.

“Kind of noticeable when he came back there, it looked alright, didn't it? So maybe it'll be that the answer's are there. But it's very specifically Caicedo. Reece James is very good at that position but Caicedo's got the legs to do that defensive work, that midfield work and that joining the attack as well.

“So if Caicedo gets injured, you probably need to look to get another experienced centre-half. If he stays fit and plays the way he can play, the solution may actually already be there.”

Chelsea have picked up 10 points from six Premier League fixtures this season, leaving them sixth in the table. With no European football at all on their agenda in 2026-27, a return to continental competition is the bare minimum requirement for Alonso and Co.

The Blues can look to build from there, with transfer funds seemingly never in short supply, and it may be that a little minor tweaking is all that the west London giants require in order to compete for the most prestigious of prizes at home and abroad.