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There is no doubting that Chelsea have made an excellent start to the Premier League season, unbeaten after 12 games. They currently sit third in the league, and despite being very much the outsiders, they will still have an eye on the title.
Much of Chelsea’s strong start has been down to the impressive impact made by new manager Maurizio Sarri. The former Napoli boss has bought a new brand of attractive football to Stamford Bridge, which looks to have worked wonders on the pitch.
The Blues have been well off the quality of Manchester City so far this year, and despite their good start, it seems most likely that the Cityzens will once again run away with the Premier League title.
However, Chelsea are still competing on four fronts and will have their eyes on winning at least one piece of silverware. They are the only side in Europe’s top five leagues still unbeaten in all competitions so far this season, and they are favourites for the Europa League title.
There have been some real standout performers for Chelsea so far this season. Eden Hazard looks better than ever, Marcos Alonso has proved himself to be one of the best attacking left backs in the world, while Jorginho has adapted well to the Premier League.
But there is still a possibility that Chelsea will look to bring in reinforcements when the January transfer window comes around. There have been questions asked about a couple of players in the squad, and Sarri may want to bring in the type of quality that will help bring titles to Stamford Bridge.
Here are 5 men Chelsea could target in January:
#1 Nathan Ake (Bournemouth)
One area where Chelsea may wish to bring in players is at centre back. Currently, Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz have started every Premier League game at the heart of the defence, with Andreas Christensen and Gary Cahill left in reserve.
There have been rumours linking the pair with a move away from Stamford Bridge in January, with both at a stage in their career where they want to be playing regular football.
In that case, Sarri will not want to have only two senior centre-halves in his squad, especially given that Luiz still appears rash at times. Ake has impressed at Bournemouth since making the permanent move from Chelsea in 2017, and he is now regarded as one of the league’s top central defenders.
There is a lot of interest in him from the Premier League’s top clubs, given his defensive attributes, and ability to bring the ball out from the back, but Chelsea have the opportunity to match any bid made for him, as part of the deal made to sell him to the Cherries.
#2 Alessio Romagnoli (AC Milan)
Romagnoli is someone Chelsea have had a long-term interest in, having first made a move for him in 2016. The Italian is another man who would fill the gap in the centre of defence, and he would certainly be a quality addition.
The 23-year-old has become a vital player for AC Milan, and he is captaining the side this season after Leonardo Bonucci returned to Juventus in the summer.
Milan have had a decent start to the season, but Romagnoli is the type of player who deserves to be playing in the Champions League, and at this stage, he is not guaranteed this at the San Siro.
He would fit in well under Sarri at Chelsea, given his ability to play the ball out from the back. The biggest sticking point may be the fee, however, as Milan are likely to demand a high price for one of their prized assets.
#3 Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
At the moment, this one looks the most likely deal to happen in January. There have been a number of reports that claim Chelsea are now at the front of the queue for Pulisic, and a deal could be done in January.
It is a position that the Blues may be looking to strengthen in January. Eden Hazard has been superb out on the left flank, but they have struggled for consistency on the opposite wing, with both Pedro and Willian both failing to hit top form.
There is a chance that Pulisic will be pushing for a move this summer, having fallen down the pecking order at Dortmund, with Marco Reus returning to full fitness, and Jadon Sancho proving a real revelation.
Because of this, the American has played just 379 minutes in the Bundesliga so far this season. He won’t be assured of a regular spot in the side at Chelsea, but he may be willing to take his chances in the Premier League.
#4 Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)
One area where Chelsea and Sarri will certainly be looking for improvements is up front. In Alvaro Morata, Chelsea have someone who is, although capable of scoring goals, so low on confidence at the moment, and just not clinical enough when it matters.
Olivier Giroud has formed an excellent partnership with Eden Hazard, but when he doesn’t get the goals, there aren’t enough sources of goals in this Chelsea side.
Every Premier League title-winning side has had someone capable of getting 20 goals a season, so Chelsea will be looking for someone capable of getting that. If the Blues are looking for someone to guarantee them goals, then Icardi is that man.
The Argentinian has a superb goal rate at Inter Milan, having scored 107 Serie A games in 168 games at the club. He is a clinical finisher, and would certainly make Chelsea a better team.
#5 Krzysztof Piatek (Genoa)
This one is probably more of an outside bet, given that Piatek isn’t exactly a proven talent at the top level. The Polish forward only joined Genoa from Cracovia in the summer but has made a quick impression in European football.
The 23-year-old has scored nine goals in his first 12 Serie A matches, as well as four goals in the Coppa Italia game with Leece. He also made his Poland debut in September, before going on to score his first goal at international level in October.
It would be a bit of risk for Chelsea to sign him, given that they will be looking for someone who has proven themselves over a few seasons, and Piatek has not done that.
He is more of a physical striker than Icardi, and that is something that has always been beneficial for Chelsea in the past, given the success of Didier Drogba and Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge.
However, things have changed slightly under Maurizio Sarri, and Icardi now may be more suited to Chelsea’s style.
