Six moves Chelsea should make during the 2025 January transfer window: Blues must move on the deadwood and find a replacement for unreliable Robert Sanchez

Objectively, the Blues seem to be screaming out for a new goalkeeper, with current No.1 Robert Sanchez neither the best shot-stopper nor the best at playing out from the back.

The Spaniard has already made three errors leading to goals in the Premier League and has been the cause of countless heart-in-mouth moments for Chelsea fans this season with the ball at his feet, but Maresca - for some reason - has stood staunchly by him.

Filip Jorgensen is already among the goalkeeping ranks at Stamford Bridge and has impressed in his outings in the cup competitions, but in truth the club could do with remedying this position for the long-term with a top-quality signing, having failed to ever properly replace Thibaut Courtois since he departed for Real Madrid six long years ago.

Doing that in January may prove to be difficult, but goalkeepers usually come relatively cheaper than the more glamourous positions. Liverpool's Caomhin Kelleher has been mentioned in dispatches, but his performances as a stand-in for Alisson probably make a January switch nigh on impossible.

One issue that Chelsea may need to resolve internally is Christopher Nkunku's future. Although he is yet to speak out publicly and Maresca has insisted the France international is happy at Stamford Bridge, it has been reported that the player is seeking an exit route with both Manchester United and Barcelona interested in signing him amid his lack of Premier League minutes.

What's more, the west Londoners are said to only want to recoup the £52 million ($66m) they paid RB Leipzig for him in 2023. United might be mired in mid-table at present, but strengthening a side who could become a top-four rival later this season and in subsequent campaigns is a big no-no.

Among their top scorers this season, Nkunku has seen plenty of minutes in the cup competitions, but Chelsea need to find a way to utilise such a lethal attacking weapon more regularly.

What do Chelsea do about Reece James? It is a question that may well be playing on the minds of Maresca and those higher up at the club after the defender's latest injury setback, which has seen him sidelined until the New Year.

Malo Gusto is an outstanding alternative at right-back and Moises Caicedo has been used there in an inverted role, but the club must surely be giving consideration to whether a more permanent solution should be found.

They arguably need a back-up to their back-up, and that may explain the recent links with Benfica's Tomas Araujo; nominally a centre-back, he is also capable of playing on the right flank, and he would tick a couple of boxes for the Blues, although he recently renewed his contract.

They might be best advised to look internally, with highly-rated academy graduate Josh Acheampong - also capable of playing at right-back or centre-half - back in the first-team picture having signed a new deal.

Indeed, a new, top-level centre-back should be high on Chelsea's list of priorities in the near future as injuries begin to bite.

The Blues have been haphazard at the back at times this season, with first-choice central defenders Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana both prone to rushes of blood to the head, and neither necessarily standing out as leaders. Fofana has had his injury problems too, missing the jam-packed festive period as a result of a hamstring problem. Benoit Badiashile has deputised unconvincingly and has now been sidelined, too.

As well as Araujo there have been links to more experienced names such as Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah, and signing a defensive commander would probably require a departure from the policy of pursuing younger players.

To this point, Maresca has insisted that Chelsea's squad isn't as big as many have made out, but there is a number of costly, established players who aren't getting enough of a look in. There will be fewer opportunities to rotate from here on out, too, with the Conference League league phase now finished and the Blues' Carabao Cup campaign already over.

Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are out of favour under the Italian tactician despite defensive injuries recently building up, as are Carney Chukwuemeka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in midfield. Chelsea might also prefer to sell Cesare Casadei rather than loan him out again.

Indeed, Maresca has admitted that Chilwell and Chukwuemeka can leave, while he wouldn't stand in Dewsbury-Hall's way either despite him only arriving in the summer.

They may not all depart, but the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) will be a consideration and the club could make some useful cash on players who have little chance of breaking into Maresca's long-term plans.

Although Maresca has done well to give regular minutes to the vast majority of what is a big squad so far this season, there are a few young players on the fringes who would benefit from being sent out on loan.

Goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom, midfielders Casadei and Omari Kellyman, and ex-Barcelona prospect Marc Guiu have barely seen any first-team action between them so far this season.

Kellyman has been injured, but you feel the rest would be better served getting minutes elsewhere. It remains to be seen whether Maresca wants to keep numbers around for the Conference League campaign, though.