Chelsea could be one of the Premier League's busiest clubs this summer with plenty of uncertainty throughout the first-team squad. Todd Boehly's early days at the club are likely to be dominated by transfer planning with a number of high-profile names reportedly targeted already.
The departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have already been confirmed by Thomas Tuchel but they may not be the last to leave. Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have all been linked with moves away and it remains to be seen what the first-team squad will consist of when the transfer window closes.
Nevertheless, it is a challenge those concerned will have to be up for. With that in mind, football.london has taken a look at the latest names to be linked with moves to Stamford Bridge.
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Mohamed Salah
Now, it would always be a long shot to see the Egyptian return to Stamford Bridge this summer despite his current contractual situation with Liverpool.
With Sadio Mane reported to be joining Bayern Munich in the summer, Jurgen Klopp has decided that he will not be losing both stars in the summer transfer window, despite this meaning that the Reds are risking losing Salah on a free next summer if a new deal cannot be agreed in the meantime.
However, as of now, no move to Chelsea is in the pipeline as confirmed by the Chief Chelsea correspondent for football.london Adam Newson in his latest Q&A segment.
He wrote: 'This summer, no – Salah has made it clear that he isn't going to leave. What happens in 12 months time if he doesn't sign a new deal...well, that will certainly be interesting.'
Presnel Kimpembe
In the quest to sign new defenders to replace the outgoing quartet, Kimpembe could be a target, despite the struggles to prise away his teammate Marquinhos from Paris Saint-Germain.
The Brazilian has already signalled his intent that he wants to spend large parts of his remaining playing career in France which is a blow to Tuchel but Kimpembe is seen as a viable alternative.
The likes of Josko Gvardiol, Matthijs De Ligt and Kalidou Koulibaly are the likely options but one name who has gone under the radar is Kimpembe, a player Adam Newson also name-checked in his Q&A as a possible purchase this summer.
He added in a. separate question: 'As for the left centre-back, someone to keep in mind is Presnel Kimpembe, who is a Tuchel pick having worked with the France international at PSG. Whether the Ligue 1 champions would sell is another matter.'
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
The midfielder has been reportedly offered up to Inter Milan ahead of the summer transfer window but his future won't be decided until two players have theirs sorted, football.london understands.
According to Gazetta, the England international could be set to make the move abroad in far simpler circumstances than his Belgian teammate. With Lukaku also eager to move to Inter, Loftus-Cheek could mean that Simone Inzaghi's side will have two Blues players at his disposal to try and close the gap at the top of Serie A next term to their city rivals.
On the contrary, the Englishmen will not be allowed to move anywhere until N'Golo Kante's and Jorginho's futures are set in stone amid links to Manchester United and Juventus, respectively.
"Under 'normal' circumstances, the defensive midfield position would have been a priority, but it's now obviously the defence after the departures of Rudiger and Christensen. And until the futures of Kante and Jorginho are sorted, it's difficult to see Chelsea going hard for a midfielder, especially with Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek, Gallagher, Gilmour and Ampadu already at the club," Newson wrote in the Q&A conducted on Monday.
