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A lot has changed at Chelsea in the past 6 months or so. Since Maurizio Sarri's untimely departure to take over the reins at Juventus, former club captain Frank Lampard returned to Stamford Bridge, this time as a manager to aid the Blues in a crisis situation. Their managerial fiasco aside, the London club were also slapped with a transfer ban as they had violated rules with regards to signing underage players in the past.
While Lampard has more than just steadied the ship since returning to Chelsea, the Blues are in serious need of reinforcements in several positions if they are to return to their heights from the previous decade - a time when they were the most successful club in the land. With their transfer ban lifted, Lampard was expected to be backed with a war chest in January but the Blues failed spectacularly despite being linked with a host of players, as they failed to secure a single signing.
There has been lots of chatter about the club's inability to secure signings in January means they will spare no expense and go all out in the summer, as rumours of a potential £200 million war chest have as music to the ears of Chelsea fans across the world.
Here are 5 players they could target in the summer, as they plan a major rebuilt to begin a new era at the club.
#5 Moussa Dembele (Lyon)
Lyon hitman Moussa Dembele has had an eventful career despite being just 23 years of age, having represented Paris Saint-Germain, Celtic, Fulham and Lyon in his young career so far. The French international also had a short stint in the Premier League in his time at Fulham, but he was far too young at that stage of his career to have made an impact.
For the Ligue 1 outfit, Dembele has been a star turn this season and has chipped in with 18 goals and 6 assists across 34 appearances in all competitions. A lethal finisher who combines work rate and technique efficiently, Dembele is all set to have a big future in the game and Chelsea have been linked with him numerous times.
With Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud out of favour, Tammy Abraham is the only frontline striker available for Lampard - meaning Dembele could prove to be the perfect player to provide cover, competition and also play alongside the Englishman if need be. Dembele will not be short of suitors in the summer and Chelsea are expected to be in the front of the queue, if Lyon decide to cash in on him at the end of the season.
#4 Andre Onana (Ajax)
Chelsea's goalkeeping situation is definitely a cause of concern, as Kepa Arrizabalaga has been dismal between the sticks for them this season. The Spanish goalkeeper was signed for a world record fee last summer but has failed to perform consistently in the premier league, leading to rumours that Chelsea are eyeing up replacements for him.
In Andre Onana, the Blues could have the perfect replacement for the Spaniard, as the Cameroonian has been rock solid for Ajax. In the Champions League this season, Onana featured against the Blues and impressed, as he made a string of stunning saves despite Ajax's elimination from the competition.
At the age of 23, his best years are ahead of him and he seems like a more reliable presence at the back than Arrizabalaga, who has struggled since making the move to England. Onana has never hidden his admiration of playing in the Premier League, saying in November that he'd be more than happy for his next move to be to a club in England and is expected to cost around £50 million.
With Chelsea losing patience with Arrizabalaga and reportedly looking to cut their losses and let him go this summer, they should look no further than Onana to replace the Spaniard between the sticks.
#3 Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
Another striker Chelsea have been linked to his Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez, who is having a breakthrough season in Italy. The Argentine is one of the best young strikers in the world and has been one of the key players in Inter's push for the Serie A title, as he's complemented Romelu Lukaku brilliantly upfront.
With 16 goals and 4 assists in all competitions this season, Martinez has set the stage on fire in the Serie A and is reportedly being courted by Chelsea as well as Barcelona. The young striker is blessed with pace in abundance and is a deadly finisher, who has impressed domestically as well as in the champions league this season.
Martinez's skillset means he can star in Chelsea's set up, as the Blues have developed a reputation of playing some free-flowing counter-attacking football under Frank Lampard. With Batshuayi and Giroud set to leave at the end of the season, Chelsea have been linked with several strikers but Martinez might be the best long term option, who also delivers the goods in the present.
The Inter striker will not come cheap and is also being eyed up as a candidate to replace Luis Suarez at Barcelona, as Chelsea gear up for a battle to sign him at the end of the season.
#2 Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli)
Chelsea's defensive problems have come to haunt them numerous times this season and it could be argued that they have the worst backline amongst the top 6 clubs. Their central defenders are either too injury prone or massively inconsistent, due to which the Blues are expected to splash the big bucks to add to their ranks at the back in the summer.
As far as centre-back's go, there isn't a better player available in the market than Kalidou Koulibaly, who is regarded as one of the best players in the world in his position. Currently plying his trade with Napolim he could look to move on at the end of the season to explore a new challenge, as he is currently 29 years of age.
There have also been rumours that the Italian club will not stand in his way if he wanted to leave this summer as they believe this is the right time to cash in on him. A strong presence at the back with wonderful positioning sense, Koulibaly has been a consistent presence at the back for a number of years now and will improve Chelsea's defence considerably if he were to sign for the club.
While Manchester United have been linked with him in the past, they are not expected to make a move for him after the big-money signing of Harry Maguire last summer. Chelsea are leading the race for Koulibaly's signature and their team will improve considerably if they secure his signature.
#1 Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Jadon Sancho, who is a self-confessed Chelsea fan, is one of the best young players in world football at the moment and the Blues have long been linked with the Englishman. A right-winger by trade, Sancho is the Bundesliga's assist king and recently became the youngest player in the history of the competition to score 25 league goals in Germany, a sensational record for a 19-year-old.
In 28 appearances for Dortmund this season, Sancho has scored 16 times and registered a further 16 assists, as he continues to make a name for himself as one of the best up and coming players in the planet. Liverpool, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have expressed an interest in signing him but Chelsea have been reliably linked with him recently, as reports suggest that they'll make a move for him in the summer.
Sancho is sure to be in contention for the Bundesliga player of the year award and is also set to shine for England in Euro 2020, due to which his price tag could skyrocket. There have been reports that Dortmund will not accept anything less than £100 million to part ways with Sancho but even at that price, the youngster is a risk worth taking and his numbers prove that.
