Chelsea have been urged to break the bank in order to sign Kylian Mbappe and Declan Rice. This comes just two months after Todd Boehly's £250m summer transfer spend.
The Blues are already preparing for a busy 2023 that could see them splashing the cash as soon as January, with deals for Christopher Nkunku, Edson Alvarez, Jude Bellingham and Rafael Leao all being pursued.
Boehly and Clearlake Capital were determined to back Thomas Tuchel over the summer and already look to be committing themselves to Graham Potter with even more investment set to follow.
READ MORE : Predicted Chelsea team vs FC Salzburg – Kovacic decision made, Potter shakes up the attack
The key areas to address are currently the forward line, hence Nkunku and Leao, and also the midfield, which has remained a largely neglected area for several years. Although the chances of signing Declan Rice and Bellingham is thin, it's not for want of trying, and Chelsea's new owners are determined to give it a go.
According to former player Frank Lebeouf though, there is another world-class star that they should be turning attention to. "When I heard Mbappe saying he doesn't see his future at PSG, I thought there's nothing stopping Chelsea from going all out to try and bring him to Stamford Bridge," he told fairbettingsites.
The French striker is expected to leave Paris Saint-Germain next summer but won't be joining Real Madrid, according to reports. "If he wants to leave PSG, Boehly could slap £100m on the table and say 'take it or leave it' because nobody else realistically is going to buy him," LeBeouf added. "People say Real Madrid, but they've got Benzema up top and Vinicius Jr on the left and Rodrygo on the right, and they're on fire, so I can't see him going there right now.
"Otherwise, the only other position I think Chelsea need to strengthen in is central midfield as a potential replacement for Kante. Kante is out for about four months, and while Jorginho is a great player, he is not defensively minded. Kovacic is a good player, and he does his job well, but he needs a partner. Declan Rice is the one for me."
Rice has been a long-term target for the club and is one of the biggest regrets after allowing the West Ham captain to leave aged just 14. He has since gone on to become one of the best midfielders in the world and has a great rapport with several current players at Stamford Bridge.
"It would be very, very interesting if Kante left, I would love to see them go and get Rice from West Ham. I get goosebumps thinking of Mason Mount and Declan Rice playing together at Chelsea because they are academy graduates, and that's what fans want to see.
"The biggest figure in Chelsea's recent history is John Terry, who, okay, started at West Ham, but he's Chelsea through and through and came through the academy like Mason Mount. Declan Rice belongs to Chelsea, like Conor Gallagher."
Rice's contract runs out in 2024, and he has rejected several offers from the Hammers to extend the deal, giving Chelsea hope of securing him next summer. With just 12 months left, the Blues would hold some extra power in possible negotiations.
The possibility of striking a deal was described as having "a very real chance" by CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.
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