'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With the summer transfer window now officially open, one area Chelsea could possibly strengthen in their team will be their midfield department.
The Blues started last season promisingly but fell off in the Premier League from November onwards. They won the UEFA Supercup and the FIFA Club World Cup. However, they lost in the FA Cup final and the Carabao Cup final, both against Liverpool.
Hence, they will look to make a couple of changes to their squad in a bid to be competitive next season.
A new midfielder could be a priority for Thomas Tuchel. Chelsea have already bid farewell to on-loan midfielder Saul Niguez, who returned to his parent club Atletico Madrid.
Reports are also linking Ruben Loftus-Cheek with a possible move to Inter Milan, as seen in the Daily Mail. Meanwhile, Ross Barkley hasn't really been a reliable option for the London club.
That now leaves Chelsea with only three recognized outright central midfield players in Jorginho, N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic ahead of next season.
Tuchel's team could possibly make do with either a new holding midfielder to add steel to his midfield. They could also look for an attacking midfielder who could add some creativity to the team.
As such, this article will thus look at some midfield players who Cheslea could consider in a bid to strengthen their squad this summer.
#5 Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion)
Considering Tuchel's preferred 3-4-3 formation, Brighton and Hove Albion's Yves Bissouma could be the ideal player to add extra dynamism to Chelsea's midfield set-up.
The 25-year-old Malian is regarded as one of the best central midfielders in the Premier League. Bissouma could also form a great midfield partnership with Jorginho in a double pivot.
The Brighton star is highly versatile, as he can operate as a lone holding midfielder as well as a box-to-box midfield player.
He has a great physical presence in midfield and also possesses an exceptional ball-carrying ability. Bissouma was second in the league for ball recoveries last season, and also had a 64.5% tackle success rate.
He played a combined total of 28 games for Brighton last season, scoring two goals and providing two assists across all competitions.
#4 Ibrahim Sangare (PSV Eindhoven)
Another midfielder who could also be a good addition to Tuchel's team this summer is PSV and Ivorian star Ibrahim Sangare. As per Sky Sports, Chelsea are interested in his signature.
The 25-year-old PSV star is traditionally a defensive midfielder and could offer Chelsea a different alternative to Jorginho.
Sangare's defensive attributes could also present Tuchel with an opportunity to switch his formation to a back-four next season. This could allow the Blues to deploy more attack-minded players in the team.
The Ivorian made the most interceptions in the Eredivisie last season (74), completed the second-most tackles as well (95). Sanagre also won 214 duels in the league, their second-highest last season.
He made 49 appearances across competitions for the Dutch side last season and contributed four goals and four assists.
He has a release clause of €35 million as per the aforementioned Sky Sports report, which is relatively affordable in today's highly-inflated transfer market.
#3 Adrien Rabiot (Juventus)
Another ideal midfield option for Chelsea this summer is French star Adrien Rabiot, who is regarded as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
The 27-year-old midfielder could be the perfect fit for Tuchel's possession-based football as Rabiot is highly rated for is exceptional passing ability.
He has great movement on and off the ball and also has an exceptional ball-carrying ability which can beat the press from opposing teams.
Rabiot is also very versatile, as he can operate as both a holding and central midfielder in a double pivot. This could benefit Chelsea next season as he could compliment either of their midfield trio.
He made a combined total of 45 appearances across all competitions for his current club Juventus last season, providing two assists.
#2 Christian Eriksen
One player who definitely has the ability to unlock the attacking potential at Chelsea is Denmark midfield maestro Christian Eriksen.
The 30-year-old is Premier league proven, playing for Tottenham Hotspur. He has also proved his worth last during his six-month spell with Brentford after being released by Inter Milan due to his health issues.
Eriksen is a creative genius and could offer a different dimension to Tuchel's midfield. He could operate as a number 10 behind the striker in a possible 4-2-3-1 formation.
The Danish star could also be used in a 4-3-3 set-up as one of the attacking midfielders. His set-piece technique and defense-splitting passes could be a lethal weapon for Tuchel's team.
He has scored 52 goals and provided 71 assists in 237 appearances in the Premier League for Tottenham and Brentford.
The Blues haven't really had creative midfielders in the mould of Cesc Fabregas or Juan Mata in a long while. Eriksen could just be that missing piece for Chelsea to boost their midfield.
He will also be available for free as his contract with the Bees expires this summer.
#1 Declan Rice (West Ham United)
It would be difficult to mention some ideal midfield options for the Blues in the transfer market without adding Declan Rice to the list.
The West Ham United vice-captain continues to be linked with a sensational return to his former club, according to Express.
The 23-year-old star is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe at the moment.
Aside from his footballing attributes, Rice is also a leader on and off the pitch. Which is a unique quality that could add value to the Chelsea team should he eventually return to Stamford Bridge.
Rice is also quite versatile, as he can operate as a standing holding midfielder or in a double pivot. The Englishman can also play as a centre-back if the need arises.
He made a combined total of 50 appearances for West Ham United last season, scoring five goals and providing four assists in all competitions.
