Premier League giants Chelsea may have had one of the most disappointing transfer windows in recent history in January, especially considering all the rumours and hype that was flying around during the period itself. Some of the biggest and most exciting names in world football were linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the winter transfer window, but frustratingly for Frank Lampard, not a single one of them took place.
According to a recent report by The Guardian though, Lampard’s Chelsea side are said to have identified three summer targets to improve the overall quality of the squad. Atletico Madrid custodian Jan Oblak has been linked with a potential move to West London, presumably to replace the out-of-favour Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga. In front of him, the Blues are said to be keeping tabs on Dayot Upamecano, while Lyon attacker Houssem Aouar is also linked. Names like Ben Chilwell, Wilfried Zaha and Moussa Dembélé were also mentioned.
What Holes Within This Chelsea Team Would These Signings Fix?
The Blues have been found lacking in multiple areas of the pitch this season, and it’s safe to say that this squad is still quite far from the complete picture. The season began with a lot of defensive struggles, after which the bad fortune went into the goalkeeping position. Now displaying an apparent inability to put the ball into the net, the Blues will do well to acquire all of the aforementioned stars, as they would each serve a completely independent purpose within the side.
Here are the three players Chelsea must sign:
Jan Oblak
The Atletico Madrid shot-stopper is widely regarded as one of the best in the world, and his exploits in the La Liga and Champions League over the last few years are more than enough proof of that. Record signing Kepa Arrizabalaga has been frozen out from the team by Frank Lampard, and the likelihood of a new addition between the sticks is increasing. In Oblak, they’d be getting a proven international, and by offering Kepa in return, Chelsea could work out a favourable deal with the Spanish giants.
Dayot Upamecano
The RB Leipzig centre-half is one of the many highly-rated young defenders in European football at the moment, and his signature is sought by many of the biggest clubs in the continent. Adept at getting out of sticky situations with his intelligence and composure, the youngster would be an excellent fit for the combative nature of Premier League football, and Chelsea will do well to beat any suitors for the Frenchman’s signature.
Houssem Aouar
Probably the player that Chelsea fans should be most excited about, Houssem Aouar has been the talk of the town for a while now. The energetic brand of football that he could bring to West London is exactly what a dynamic manager like Frank Lampard would hope for. The 21-year-old is a graduate of the Lyon academy and continues to develop into a deadly modern attacking midfielder – the kind of player that any Premier League club would be happy to receive.
