strengthen

With only one Premier League recreation to go for Chelsea, their Champions League destiny will likely be selected the ultimate day in opposition to Nottingham Forest, after a rollercoaster season which has seen them hit the heights of 2nd within the league, however has additionally seen them go on a 5 recreation winless streak within the Christmas interval.

Ought to Chelsea qualify for the Champions League and win the UEFA Convention League, Enzo Maresca’s first season in cost will likely be seen as a giant success, with loads of positives to remove together with some enhancements to be made going into his second season.

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The type of European competitors the Blues are competing in subsequent season will probably have an effect on the standard of their recruitment in the summertime, as Maresca appears to enhance his squad and take one other soar forwards subsequent season.

So which positions do Chelsea want to focus on?

Chelsea have improved defensively underneath Enzo Maresca this season after conceding 63 objectives within the Premier League final marketing campaign. Within the 2024/25 season, the Blues have solely conceded 43 objectives, averaging 1.16 objectives conceded per 90 from 1.25 xG in opposition to per 90.

Levi Colwill has been the important thing determine in central defence underneath Maresca this season, beginning 34 Premier League matches. Nonetheless, a constant companion has been arduous to return by, with Wesley Fofana struggling with one other damage ridden season, Trevoh Chalobah getting back from mortgage in January to companion Colwill on plenty of events and summer time signing Tosin Adarabioyo who has additionally performed his half.

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Subsequently, a proper central defender to companion Colwill is seen as a precedence signing this summer time, somebody who matches Maresca’s system, can press in a person to man style in superior areas, has the restoration tempo to play additional away from their very own penalty field and the flexibility on the ball to interrupt the strains in possession.

Dean Huijsen was a key goal being touted, however has now confirmed a transfer to Actual Madrid, which leaves Chelsea with their subsequent set of choices on the listing. One man who continues to be linked with a return is Marc Guehi, however maybe the most suitable choice for Chelsea could be Everton defender, Jarrad Branthwaite.

The 22-year-old defender stands at 6ft 5, has the flexibility to play with each ft and has sensible athletic qualities, together with his restoration tempo. Branthwaite is averaging 2.07 aerial duels received per 90, making 1.33 tackles per 90 and 0.92 interceptions per 90.

His means to defend massive areas out broad, dominate his personal field along with his aerial and bodily prowess but additionally contribute successfully in construct up as a consequence of his two-footed high quality makes him an ideal match for Maresca’s system, while nonetheless becoming the recruitment insurance policies at the moment in place at Chelsea.

Left-wing

In current weeks, we now have seen Enzo Maresca experimenting with Noni Madueke on the left, including the directness and talent to drive into the field which has been missing on the left facet for Chelsea this season.

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Madueke is averaging 6.9 progressive carries per 90, rating third on this metric for gamers with over 1000 minutes performed this season. He’s additionally averaging 4.2 carries into the penalty space, with solely Jeremy Doku averaging extra at 6.3 per 90.

The 23-year-old is an ideal winger for Maresca’s system, trying to be direct in 1v1 conditions, drive at opposition gamers and pressure the difficulty, whether or not that comes from taking up his man or getting photographs off, with Madueke averaging 3.6 photographs per 90, rating third within the league for this metric.

Subsequently, including a proper footed left-winger of the same mould to Madueke could be sensible for Chelsea, giving Maresca extra choices when catering to his recreation plan. Two names that go well with this profile are Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens.

Each gamers excel in comparable metrics to Madueke, trying to be direct, drive into the penalty space with pressure and beat their man 1v1.

Striker

Maybe an important of all of them, Chelsea have to signal a striker in the summertime to compete with Nicolas Jackson. The 23-year-old has scored 10 Premier League objectives this season in 30 appearances, having netted 14 in 35 video games final season.

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Jackson has underperformed his xG for a second consecutive season, having underperformed on this metric by -4.6 xG final marketing campaign adopted by his present underperformance of -1.4 xG this marketing campaign.

While the Senegal worldwide provides loads of totally different attributes, averaging 1.91 progressive carries per 90, taking a superb quantity of photographs with 3.04 per 90 and even offering key passes for his teammates, his field presence, aerial menace and his ending can all go away quite a bit to be desired.

Some names being linked embody Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, however the standout identify so as to add the attributes the Blues are lacking in that centre-forward place is Victor Osimhen.

The 26-year-old Nigerian striker is scoring 0.97 objectives per 90, however can also be producing 1.30 xG per 90! While this additionally reveals an xG underperformance as talked about with Jackson, the xG technology is way superior, largely right down to his aerial prowess within the field.

Osimhen averages 4.24 aerial duels received per 90, successful 63.6% of his aerial duels. In the meantime, Jackson averages simply 0.89 aerial duels received per 90, successful simply 38.3% of his aerial duels. This can be a key attribute Chelsea are lacking, particularly when making an attempt to interrupt down opposition groups taking part in in a low block.