Benjamin Sesko is the perfect striker for Chelsea! Blues' 2024 summer transfer window likely ins and outs

It has been reported that Chelsea's priorities will be a striker, left-back and centre-back this summer, but their needs will almost certainly change depending on outgoings.

Centre-forward has arguably been a problem position for the Blues since Diego Costa left the club in 2017 - seven years ago. Nicolas Jackson performed admirably in his debut campaign in England (17 goals, six assists), but there is a perception that the 22-year-old is not yet ready to be a regular starter due to his profligacy and occasional poor decision-making.

The likely departures of a number of central defenders will necessitate a new signing at the heart of the defence, while it remains to be seen whether Djordje Petrovic or Robert Sanchez will be backed as first-choice goalkeeper. Chelsea may find themselves in need of a new winger, too, with possible exits out wide, and they could also go in search of quality depth in central midfield - an area where they could also be left a little light.

Chelsea's well-documented need for a striker has led to inevitable links to every top-level No.9 who might be available this summer. Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen, Brentford's England international Ivan Toney,43-goal Sporting CP revelation Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig talent Benjamin Sesko have been most strongly touted. Jonathan David is a name that has come up as he continues to impress at Lille, while links to Aston Villa's Jhon Duran and Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez have gone somewhat cold.

In the goalkeeping department there is uncertainty over who will be No.1. Everton shot-stopper Jordan Pickford has long been rumoured as a target, while out-of-favour Arsenal man Aaron Ramsdale and Juventus' former Gunner Wojciech Szczesny have been mentioned in dispatches.

A new centre-back, meanwhile, will have big boots to fill after Thiago Silva's exit. Bayer Leverkusen stalwart Jonathan Tah is among those to have been suggested as a replacement, as has Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo, while Juve's Gleison Bremer is among the most recent names to crop up. In terms of left-back options, Gent's Englishman Archie Brown is a surprise candidate.

Chelsea may have to compensate for Conor Gallagher's departure in the middle of the park, and Atalanta dynamo Teun Koopmeiners is supposedly on their radar, as well as Shakhtar Donetsk prospect Georgiy Sudakov. The Blues are also said to have an interest in Benfica's Joao Neves, although he is a target for Manchester United.

There could be space to fill on the wings, too, with Crystal Palace Michael Olise and flying Athletic Club wide man Nico Williams linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, AC Milan talisman Rafael Leao seems to be a perennial target.

That is a long, long list of reported targets, but who is the one player Chelsea should be going all out to sign? Given the clear need for a new striker and the ownership's underwhelming track record with big-money transfers, logic dictates that they should look no further than Sesko.

The towering Leipzig frontman finished the season in red-hot form, rounding off his campaign by scoring in seven Bundesliga games in a row to take his tally to 18, and he has a release clause of just £55 million ($70m) in his contract at the Red Bull Arena.

Standing at 6'3, he has the profile to succeed in the Premier League and, aged just 20, he fits within Chelsea's recent policy of signing young players with high potential. With that low-risk price tag, he could share the goal-scoring responsibility with Jackson as he is eased into life in England. The Blues may have to move quickly, however, amid competition from Manchester United and Arsenal and the threat of Leizpig removing that cut-price release clause from his contract.

Despite Pochettino's assertion that the club should keep hold of up to 85% of the current squad, there is certain to be some significant turnover in the playing staff as the hierarchy look to fall in line with financial fair play and the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).

Academy product and sometime captain Gallagher could be the most high-profile departure, as Chelsea consider emotionlessly cashing in on a player who has been at the club since he was eight years old amid interest from Tottenham and Aston Villa. Raheem Sterling is another big name who could be moved on having struggled to replicate the form he showed at Manchester City to endear himself to the fanbase.

Thiago Silva has already left as he prepares to re-join boyhood club Fluminense in his native Brazil. Fellow defender Trevoh Chalobah is likely to follow him out of the door, with Chelsea looking for £25m ($32m) in pure profit for the academy graduate. There is also uncertainty surrounding their fellow centre-back Benoit Badiashile, who has struggled for form and fitness since arriving in January 2023.

All of Chelsea's returning loanees seem certain to be sold; Hakim Ziyech is likely to join Galatasaray permanently, while there is once again interest from Serie A in £100m ($127m) flop Romelu Lukaku. The Blues will take a significant hit on goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after his time at Real Madrid comes to an end, and Champions League finalist Ian Maatsen appears set to stay at Borussia Dortmund for the long-term. Lewis Hall's loan at Newcastle is also going to become permanent, and fellow academy graduate Armando Broja will be sold for pure profit after a difficult spell at Fulham.

Elsewhere, outcast Malang Sarr's miserable time at the club will surely be brought to an end with a year remaining on his contract.

Chelsea have become infamous for their so-called loan army and next season won't be any different, with a host of players set to spend the campaign away from Stamford Bridge.

There is a big call to be made on Mykhailo Mudryk, who continued to toil in 2023-24 and could benefit from a spell elsewhere to find his feet. Returning loanee Omari Hutchinson could be best served staying with Ipswich Town following their promotion to the Premier League, and the same could be said of Brazilian duo Angelo Gabriel and Andrey Santos after they helped to keep Strasbourg in Ligue 1.

You wouldn't expect Lesley Ugochukwu nor Cesare Casadei to be kept at Chelsea after having limited first-team opportunities this season, and Carney Chukwuemeka could also be in the frame to be loaned out after an injury-hit campaign. Youngsters Alfie Gilchrist and Deivid Washington, who have been on the very fringes of the squad, will probably be sent to gain first-team experience elsewhere.

Having impressed back in the Under-21s, Diego Moreira is ready for another loan after struggling at Lyon this season, while it would make sense for David Datro Fofana to go out again too after his varied time with Union Berlin and Burnley.

Veterans of the loan army Harvey Vale and Tino Anjorin will probably head out again if they aren't sold as they enter the final year of their respective contracts.

This is already guaranteed to be another summer of significant upheaval for Chelsea, but now the club is beginning to move in the right direction on the pitch, there doesn't need to be a complete overhaul of the playing staff.

Outgoings are likely to have a significant bearing on the Blues' business, especially given it has been the west Londoners reportedly must raise £100m through player sales before June 30 if they want those deals to be included in their accounts for the 2023-24 season.

In terms of arrivals, in theory there should be a more targeted approach than the scattergun policy of recent transfer windows, with certain positions strengthened as the club looks to build on the foundations Pochettino laid at the end of the season.

Chelsea 2024-25 (4-3-3): Pickford; James, Tah, Fofana, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez, Nkunku; Palmer, Sesko, Williams