If reports are to be believed then Italian manager Antonio Conte is planning a last-minute spending spree that could cost him somewhere in the region of £200 million just before the transfer window closes, following their not-so-good start the title-defending season.
Although Chelsea did manage to outplay Tottenham Hotspur in their new home turf, the Blues didn’t arrive there as the favourites despite having a much better side on paper and spending millions more than their London rivals. The Blues have spent somewhere in the region of £140 million this summer and their shocking opening day loss to Burnley means they will now have to spend again to prevent a repeat of the 2015-16 campaign.
While the arrival of Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger did grace the Stamford Bridge with their superstar presence, Chelsea did make some huge mistakes by selling Nemanja Matic and Nathan Ake and exiling their proven striker Diego Costa. Hence, their bench remains one of the weakest in the league at the moment with the fans left expecting some big arrivals before the window closes in over a week.
Here are the 3 players Chelsea could target with the huge transfer kitty available-
Virgil Van Dijk (Southampton):
It will be really surprised if Southampton manages to hold onto him after all the things that have happened. Following Liverpool’s failed attempt to poach him illegally from the Saints, the player was also known to hand in a transfer request to the club. But nothing seems to have gone his way so far. The player clearly doesn’t want to stay at the club and Southampton have been steadfast in their take on his future.
He is currently injured, which is widely believed as a tactic to sit out the transfer season hoping for a deal to materialize and a hefty offer from Chelsea could surely seal the deal for him.
Ryan Bertrand (Southampton):
Despite re-introducing the influence of wing backs in the league last season, Antonio Conte has failed to provide a good depth to his existing options- Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses. They seem to have a home run at the moment with no competition or threat to their position, which explains their occasional inconsistencies.
Bertrand is a Chelsea youth product and possesses all the qualities that a wing back should have. He is fast, composed, can provide quality crosses and most importantly has the experience of English football and could be a huge coup for the Blues this summer.
Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City):
Following the sale of Nemanja Matic, Conte has expressed his displeasure with the club’s decision indicating that the Italian does not see new arrival Bakayoko as the Serbian’s direct replacement. The French midfielder had a nervy game against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend and although he wasn’t fully fit, his young age is unlikely to bring the same impact as Matic just yet.
Leicester City’s Drinkwater could be a good fit in many respects. He is well experienced in the league, accustomed to its pace and strength and is a brilliant passer of the ball from the deep midfield. He would upgrade Chelsea’s direct football playing style and could help them retain the title.
