Chelsea have entered the final stages of the January transfer window and have yet complete a signing with just over one week remaining.
The Blues have seen Lewis Baker depart on a permanent deal to Stoke, and have reassigned some of their loan stars, with Juan Castillo's loan at Birmingham cancelled and the 22-year-old sent to Charlton, while Kenedy has returned to Cobham after a stint with Flamengo.
Chelsea are believed to be close to landing Derby youngster Dylan Williams but that move is more likely to reinforce the development squad, who have been without a left wing-back for some time.
However, since Ben Chilwell's season-ending injury, that position has been of concern for Thomas Tuchel, with the depths of Chelsea's wing-backs hit even further when Reece James picked up a hamstring injury against Brighton.
The Blues have seen their attempts to cut Emerson Palmieri's loan at Lyon rebuffed, while rumoured target Lucas Digne has moved from Everton to Aston Villa already this month.
Tuchel still believes there is potential for a signing but it's far from certain.
He told reporters: "I cannot say no to it. Also I am not convinced it is a clear yes.”
The German coach suggested that his squad has struggled with the demands of the winter schedule combined with Covid-19 absences and injuries.
Chelsea have racked up 15 matches since the beginning of December with each area of their squad taking a hit, and have not recorded a Premier League win since Boxing Day.
Tuchel said: “It is a bit [of] proof that the schedule we had in particular was a bit too much at the same time where we struggled with injuries.
“First it was the midfield and then in the second period it was all strikers and now suddenly it is all defenders who are out. It is a bit awkward to deal with it. We struggled to deal with it and find the same rhythm, find the same consistency in our results. This is proven.”
While it is in defence the Blues are currently shortest, the highest profile transfer links have been for players further up the pitch.
Both Eden Hazard and Ousmane Dembele's La Liga struggles have seen the connected with a move to Stamford Bridge.
The latter in particular has been told he must leave Barcelona, however Tuchel did not want to be drawn too far on the player he coached at Borussia Dortmund.
He said in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Tottenham game on Sunday: "He is a very good player when he is in his top level. I am very fortunate to have trained him in my time at Dortmund. It was only one year, it should have been longer. I needed to leave and he decided to leave.
"From there we are not in closest contact, we met here and there because of his duties for the French national team and of course I was in Paris so this was more or less when they were preparing for national duties, it’s very close to Paris. This is where we met or exchanged some messages.
"He is in a situation (at Barcelona), I have no idea why or what the situation and detail is. I know how I feel about it when it’s about my players so it is better not to talk.”
