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Managerial instability has been a common theme at Chelsea ever since Roman Abramovich's arrival back in 2003. This upcoming campaign has seen the entry of yet another head coach at Stamford Bridge in Maurizio Sarri.
The former Napoli manager took charge three weeks ago after a long and never-ending saga. He arrived with the heartbeat of his thriving Napoli side, highly-rated midfielder Jorginho. Given his tactical demands, the Blues could not have acquired a more important player in helping them transition to their new playing style.
However, it's clear that they need more than just one signing - like their Community Shield defeat by Manchester City showed last weekend. Thus far, the Italy international is their only signing this summer - but the Blues are a club with vast resources and have many players, from the academy ranks, previously unfancied by Antonio Conte or those who were out on-loan that could be of great use to Sarri going forward.
#6 Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea completed the signing of Michy Batshuayi two years ago for a reported figure of £33m. However, his tenure in west London has been somewhat of a struggle - as previous boss Antonio Conte never really favoured him as Chelsea's first-choice centre-forward.
In eighteen months at the club, the Belgium international only managed to make four league starts. So it doesn't come as a surprise they loaned him out back in January, to Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. He flourished, scoring nine goals in 14 matches across all competitions.
With that in mind, there is plenty of reason for Chelsea to believe Batshuayi is better than Conte may have thought. His stint in Germany spoke for itself, though his numbers at his parent club were not the worst either. Despite only getting significant minutes in cup appearances, he netted nine goals in the 2016/17 campaign, while also notching 10 during his six-month spell before being loaned out last term.
He scored some important goals for the Blues too, which seems to be forgotten. The title-winning goal against West Brom, the dramatic winner away against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League: so why has he not been granted more of an opportunity? Batshuayi's playing style in the final third means he's the type of forward who is bound to finish chances, should his team-mates create them. Álvaro Morata's struggles in England have been well-documented, and Michy offers a refreshing alternative to Sarri as the lone striker.
#5 Callum Hudson-Odoi
In what has been a scrambled pre-season tour for Chelsea, the brightest spark by some distance has been the displays of 17-year-old winger Callum Hudson-Odoi. Followers of the club's academy have been aware of his exceptional talent for quite some time, while his impressive performances for the England under-17s at the World Cup in India last year certainly caught the attention of many.
With Hazard's holiday absence, the academy graduate was regularly a nuisance for opposition defenders to contend with. One who particularly suffered was Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerín, during their defeat on penalties to Unai Emery's side last week.
Exciting young talents are nothing new to Chelsea, as they have produced a number of excellent youngsters in recent years. However, it is incredibly rare that any are granted adequate first-team opportunities, despite their success at youth level. Hudson-Odoi is different. Not only talented, he is crucially unfazed by the big stage and made his Premier League debut last season. Demanding the ball and looking to take players on, it's clear that he wants to make the stage his own.
PSG's Kylian Mbappé has shown the world that age is but a number, if you truly are good enough. Hudson-Odoi is a generational talent and one that should be given licence to learn under Sarri's guidance this season - as it will prove beneficial going forward, before he looks to prove a valuable asset in the senior ranks.
#4 Emerson Palmieri
After surprisingly not signing a left wing-back during last summer's transfer window - leaving Marcos Alonso without competition - Chelsea signed AS Roma's Emerson Palmeri in January. The deal was evidently not a convincing one as for the past year, the Brazilian left-back had rarely played any competitive football, having been sidelined with a serious ACL injury.
However during the previous year, Emerson had become a favourite with Roma supporters. Fans saw him as one of the league's best in his position, although Antonio Conte hardly granted him any opportunities to break into the side either. Presumably to avoid tension between himself and Alonso, an established starter, though the player did impress when selected during the Spaniard's own three-match suspension.
Possessing a good burst of pace, the ability to overlap his winger and cross the ball into dangerous areas with quality, it's clear that Sarri will expect him to compete with Alonso for the starting left-back berth.
#3 Ruben Loftus-Cheek
One of the brightest talents to emerge from Chelsea's golden generation at academy level, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is back with the Blues' first-team after a successful loan spell at Crystal Palace last season.
The midfielder grew frustrated at his lack of opportunities and wanted to earn experience elsewhere in England's top-flight, having previously been either played out of position or not at all - even during the club's worst season in more than 20 years under Jose Mourinho.
Across south London, the 22-year-old certainly made his mark. After their talisman Wilfried Zaha, Ruben was their best player last term - despite being sidelined for three months through injury. He was that influential. His displays were not going unnoticed either, as Gareth Southgate called him up to England's World Cup squad, where he made the plane to Russia while Chelsea's midfield duo Ross Barkley and Danny Drinkwater both watched from home.
Loftus-Cheek offers pace, power and relentless energy in midfield. The England international is an excellent dribbler of the ball, with remarkable ball-retention skills to match. However, concerns remain about his workrate and adhering to defensive responsibilities. In a high-pressing system that Sarri wants to enforce, Loftus-Cheek will have to up his own game to make his mark but he certainly has the attributes needed to prove successful in the long-run.
#2 Ross Barkley
Another player who Chelsea purchased in January, Ross Barkley is a player that could finally prove his worth this season - provided he stays clear of injuries. The former Everton playmaker, who has been unfortunate with untimely setbacks in the past, has enjoyed a full pre-season and had an extended opportunity to impress new boss Sarri.
As things stand, he is most likely to play the "Hamsik role" for Chelsea in future - as part of a midfield trio, alongside N'Golo Kanté and Jorginho. His stock has fallen significantly in the last few seasons, despite still being such a talented midfielder.
Not so long ago, reports were linking him with £50m moves to all of England's top clubs. Everton had to settle for a mere £15m, as his contract was soon expiring and he wanted a new challenge elsewhere. The ability and world-class potential to be an influential player for Chelsea are still there, but the question is can Sarri be the man who nurtures it to its expected heights?
#1 Ethan Ampadu
Just like Hudson-Odoi, yet another 17-year-old who has displayed unbelievable ability is Ethan Ampadu. In what can now only be considered a coup, the Blues acquired his services for a mere £2.5m (decided by tribunal) from League Two side Exeter.
His arrival was primarily for the youth team, at the time, but he quickly earned his way into the senior ranks. Ampadu made three appearances each in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup before making his Premier League debut away against Huddersfield.
Later, he also got his first senior cap for Wales during their friendly defeat by France last November. His composure, maturity and playing style all make it hard to believe he is yet to turn 18. Crucially, he offers versatility too - being able to play at centre-back but equally as a defensive-minded or holding midfielder.
Whether he is at Chelsea or not, Ethan is a player destined to make a huge name for himself in the years to come. If Sarri does decide to wisely integrate the Wales international - alongside Hudson-Odoi - as first-team players this term, he has two quality options who could prove very useful throughout the course of the campaign, not least with UEFA Europa League football on the horizon.
