Chelsea do not have long left to complete their transfer business with just a week remaining of the January window.
It remains to be seen whether the Blues will be able to welcome any new names to Stamford Bridge before the end of the month, with the winter market notoriously difficult to navigate.
With that being said, Chelsea might actually have one eye on the summer, with a number of players seeing their contracts expire and negotiations now able to open regarding a pre-contract agreement.
football.london takes a look at how the Blues could potentially line-up from the start of next season should they complete deals for just three select soon-to-be free agents who are reportedly on their wishlist.
Defence
Starting at the back, it is clear that the Chelsea defence needs some bolstering ahead of the 2022/23 season. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta are all out of contract come the end of the campaign and could well leave Stamford Bridge on free transfers.
However, the Blues could potentially turn to the free agent market in order to compensate for the loss of the trio.
Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule is now in the final six months of his current deal at the Allianz Arena and there is currently no sign of a renewal. It has been reported that his future is set to be decided by February so Chelsea could be in line for a bargain deal should he elect to leave the German giants.
He is currently valued at £31.5m having won four Bundesliga titles since his move from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2017.
Another young defender who could also be secured is Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara. After failing to agree a new deal with the Ligue 1 outfit, the 22-year-old - who can also play in midfield - looks likely to depart the club.
He has also been linked with Manchester United and Newcastle United amid Chelsea’s interest.
Should he complete a move to west London, however, he will line up alongside Thiago Silva, with the three-man defence assembling a formidable shield in front of undisputed first choice stopper Edouard Mendy.
Midfield
Chelsea’s midfield is currently blessed with plenty of options so it is unlikely that it will need considerable investment ahead of next season.
Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic have been Thomas Tuchel’s preferred pairing over recent weeks, whilst the Blues also have the likes of N’Golo Kante, Saul Niguez and Ruben Loftus-Cheek to call upon.
Attack
The current Chelsea boss could potentially be set to be reunited with one of his former players should the Blues pursue a move for Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele.
The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season, with the Catalan giants having made the decision to sell, with the two parties failing to come to an agreement over an extended stay at the Camp Nou.
Whilst a move looks more likely this month, Chelsea could well sign a player who cost Barcelona £135m just under five years ago for absolutely nothing should they bide their time.
Dembele would slot in on the left, in doing so claiming a position from the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner or Christian Pulisic, whilst Mason Mount is a likely pick on the opposite flank.
Whilst Romelu Lukaku has endured an inconsistent run of form over recent months since his club record arrival from Inter Milan, the Belgian is still the Blues’ best striker, so would be an excellent option to lead the line.
Potential starting XI: Mendy; Chilwell, Sule, Silva, Kamara, James; Kante, Kovacic; Mount, Dembele, Lukaku.
