The importance of Chelsea's summer transfer business is very clear with a mass sale needed and top quality but minimal additions likely. As football.london reported earlier this month, Mauricio Pochettino will become the next manager of the club and he looks to already be having a significant impact in early talks that are taking place prior to the opening of the summer window.
Andre Onana, Romeo Lavia and Manuel Ugarte have all been scouted thoroughly as the club prepare to likely sign a new central midfielder, goalkeeper and striker, at the very least. There is no real priority position out of that trio of roles as all three need further additions, and world class ones at that.
At the top end of the pitch, Victor Osimhen is the priority for the Blues, according to Sky Germany. While the candidates to fill the deep-lying midfield role appear to have been narrowed down to Lavia, Ugarte, Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo.
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Arsenal are also interested in Rice and Caicedo, sending two unsuccessful bids to the latter in the January transfer window. According to The Athletic, the second bid for Caicedo harmed the strong relationship between Arsenal and Brighton after the Gunners were told he was not for sale.
Co-Director of Recruitment and Talent Joe Shields is sure to have a pivotal role in deciding who the club acquire. Due to his past role at Southampton, he is very interested in signing Lavia, given he was integral in first bringing the teenager to St Mary's last summer, but other executives hold concerns about the Belgian.
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Shields' second choice appears to have been made clear though after he commented on Caicedo's Instagram live following Brighton's draw against Manchester City that secured a spot in next season's Europa League for the Seagulls.
Brighton look to have changed their stance on Caicedo in the past six months though, despite him signing a new contract. Head coach Roberto De Zerbi has openly discussed on many occasions it is possible both Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister leave this summer.
"It can be the last game but I don't know," De Zerbi admitted ahead of hosting Manchester City on Wednesday evening. "They can have the possibility to change [clubs] because they deserve to play in another level."
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