Chelsea have money, lots of it.
Since Todd Boehly led a consortium to buy the club for £4.25billion in May last year, the Blues have splashed out a whopping £278.4million on players. Now, it's 2023 at Stamford Bridge, with the January transfer window open for business and Graham Potter keen to improve his squad for the second half of the season.
Will it be Enzo Fernandez, Joao Felix or Benoit Badiashile coming through the door? There's certainly a chance, but as anyone in football will tell you, transfers are much more complicated than they may seem. With that in mind, Potter might be better off looking at the options already at his disposal, particularly those under the radar of most.
Here are five Chelsea players who could save Potter millions in January.
Bashir Humphreys
If there's one tactical element which Potter likes in his defenders, it's versatility. Fortunately for Bashir Humphreys, who made the bench for Tuesday's 2-0 victory over Bournemouth, he's made a name for himself by impressing in a range of positions since joining Chelsea's academy from Reading in 2019.
Now training with the Blues' senior squad, the 19-year-old England youth international has taken to playing on the right of a three-man defence like a duck to water. Also able to play in midfield if required, under-21 captain Humphreys stands a real chance of featuring under Potter given the injuries to Wesley Fofana and Reece James.
Lewis Hall
Speaking of wing-backs, Lewis Hall's name is being mentioned more and more at Stamford Bridge, especially after his outstanding performance away to Manchester City before the World Cup break. Unfortunate not to score two goals in the 2-0 EFL Cup defeat, the 18-year-old, who can play in midfield or at full-back, starred over 70 minutes by completing a game-high three dribbles and winning three fouls, also the most of any player in the match.
Hall's debut assist against Chesterfield a year ago came in a very different Chelsea side, but Potter's system should only give the Slough-born dynamo more opportunities to shine. Watch this space.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Unlike academy graduates Humphreys and Hall, Chelsea shelled out around £20million to sign Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa in August, handing him a six-year deal. Labelled one of England's brightest talents in his youth, the rangy midfielder, only 19, already has three Premier League appearances under his belt this season, including a cameo when Manchester United came to town.
But there could be plenty more to come for Chukwuemeka in the second half of the campaign, with the Blues plotting a midfield revolution which he should be part of. N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are out of contract next June, so if Potter can't get his hands on Benfica's Enzo Fernandez this month, Chukwuemeka may well have a chance to nail down his place before a summer of change.
Cesare Casadei
The second 2022 signing on this list, Cesare Casadei also penned a six-year deal five months ago when Chelsea stumped up an initial £13.2m to prise him away from Inter Milan. Having spent four years with the Italian giants, the mature and well-rounded central midfielder is tipped to become a prominent figure at Stamford Bridge once he makes his first-team debut.
Having represented Italy at nearly every level of international youth football, Casadei is aiming to showcase his potential in west London after compared to former AC Milan star Massimo Ambrosini and Lazio ace Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. Another 19-year-old who could be part of the midfield changing of the guard, the Blues certainly have high hopes for Casadei.
Have your say! Which of these Chelsea youngsters most deserves a chance? Give us your pick in the comments section.
Omari Hutchinson
Poached from none other than London neighbours Arsenal for an undisclosed fee over the summer, having been let go by Chelsea as a youngster, Omari Hutchinson is highly regarded all over the English capital. Already a senior Jamaica international after making his debut in May, the Redhill-born attacker is on the cusp of making his full debut for the Blues.
Another unused substitute during Tuesday's win, Hutchinson can bolster a forward line which still hasn't clicked into shape under Potter. Able to play on the flanks or centrally, the 19-year-old might just be a cheaper and more worthwhile alternative than loaning in Joao Felix for six months and a hefty fee. Oh, and watch out for his acrobatic celebrations.
Potter is keen to give Chelsea's youngsters an ample opportunity in the first team, but affirmed in November that he won't hand out minutes "just for the sake of it." The Blues boss, who even signed some of the Blues' prospects - such as Tariq Lamptey and Billy Gilmour - while in charge of former club Brighton, added: "From our perspective, we have to try and think of a team that we think will win the game.
"We've used a lot of young players, a lot of them have been impressive, I like their character, I like their personality and it's been an important part of how we've started here at Chelsea - to get closer to the academy guys and to get to know them."
