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The early-season promise around Stamford Bridge has settled into something a bit more realistic. After duking it out with Manchester City and Liverpool in the first few games of the season, the Blues' ambition has settled into making the top 4.
Maurizio Sarri has had a few months to look at what he inherited from Antonio Conte. By now, he will have had a clear idea of what he wants to achieve and the players he needs to work with.
With Tottenham Hotspur looking almost as good as the top two and a resurgent Arsenal side, Chelsea knows that they are in for a fight-to-finish for a UEFA Champions League spot next season.
The current team is heavily imbalanced and overly reliant on the genius of Eden Hazard to get results. The team is stacked with centre-backs and central midfielders but lacks quality in the fullback and striking positions.
Here is a look at 5 possible targets the Blues have been linked within the January transfer window:
#5 Martin Skriniar (Internazionale)
The Slovakian has been an ever reliable ever since he joined the Nerazzurri from Sampdoria in 2016. He has long been seen as one of the team’s most important players alongside Mauro Icardi
Rugged, strong with an innate sense for making immaculately timed tackles, the 23-year-old has several times being described as the Eastern European equivalent of Sergio Ramos without the occasional red mist.
He is an accomplished leader of men and would step in immediately to marshal the Blues defence in its quest to get back to the top of both English and European football.
Skriniar has also had time playing in the right-back position and as such has developed the ability to send in decent crosses.
In addition to being very good defensively, he is also very capable of opening up opposing teams with his range of passing and would be a perfect long-term signing alongside Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
A rumoured £70m has been mooted and with rumblings about his desired wage increase at Inter, January could be a good time for the Blues to swoop.
#4 Callum Wilson (Bournemouth)
Chelsea's goalscoring this season has been a big problem for Sarri. Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud have struggled badly for any sort of form.
Both players have combined delivered a miserly 6 goals in 28 matches across all competitions. Were it not for Hazard's electric form so far, the Blues will be lower than they are on the Premier League table
With a lot of other positions to strengthen and a paucity of available top-class strikers in the market, Chelsea will need to be creative.
In Bournemouth's Wilson, Sarri could be getting a very good striker who can add to the goals-for column for his side. The England international has outscored both Morata and Giroud in the league this season with 8 goals and 5 assists in 13 games.
His pace, intelligence, ability to play in the midfielders and deadly finishing makes him an ideal target for the Blues. He is unlikely to cost more than £35m and with age on his side (he is just 26), Chelsea could be getting a bargain.
#3 Denis Suárez (FC Barcelona)
It has never really happened for Suarez at Barcelona. Since arriving at the club from Manchester City in 2013, he has gone on loan, been sold to Villarreal and re-bought by the Blaugrana.
Despite this, he has never cemented a place in the First XI, been used as a substitute for most of his time at the Camp Nou.
He has been kept out of the side by the otherworldly talents of Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Ivan Rakitic during his time with the team. The arrival of Arthur Melo and emergence of Carlos Alena means this state of affairs look set to continue
A typical Spanish midfielder, Suarez is a good passer of the ball and a decent dribbler. He can be very creative with excellent movement and great ball control.
While Chelsea currently has a lot of central midfielders, few offer the forward-passing abilities of Cesc Fabregas. However, Fabregas looks set to leave the club and Suarez could be a good replacement.
Said to be priced at £45m, getting the 24-year-old in could help the Blues he would add the passing range and movement that Marco Kovacic currently offers.
While the Croatian has been okay-ish in his loan spell, he has a €300m buyout clause with Real Madrid and would cost Chelsea significantly more than the Barca man.
#2 Elseid Hysaj (Napoli)
Hysaj has been one of Napoli's standout performers ever since he followed Sarri to the San Paolo from Empoli in 2015. He is an attacking full-back who is comfortable being deployed on either flank but, has mostly played as a traditional right-back for the Partenopei in a 4-3-3- system.
His pace and agility have allowed him to play a central role for a dynamic Napoli side in both offensive and defensive positions.
Like most modern fullbacks, he enjoys galloping forward, Hysaj is a player who remains diligent in his defensive duties, showing the awareness needed to know when to track back and defend as well as the opportune moment for bombing forward to join the attack.
Blessed with pace and great crossing, he could be Chelsea’s answer to Kyle Walker (Manchester City) or Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur).
Hysaj will be a significant upgrade to Victor Moses and Davide Zappacosta. With a rumoured buyout clause of €50m, he will not come cheap.
#1 Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
A player who has been linked to the Blues recently, Pulisic’s career seems to have stalled a bit. He was one of Dortmund’s shining stars last season. However, the emergence of Jadon Sancho and Jacob Brun Larsen has curtailed his game time.
However, the American international remains a very good player with the potential to be even better as he grows. Diminutive like Hazard, Pulisic is a pacy player capable of beating opponents with a rapid turn of pace and intelligence.
His blitzkrieg-running style where he is always looking to take the ball forward at all times is a match made in heaven for Sarriball's forward-going style of play. He could slot seamlessly into the team if purchased.
Pulisic's ability to carry the ball forward rapidly and incisive running could help the team in moving faster up the pitch. This is as opposed to the ponderous, dithering style of Willian.
Though he is being spoken of as a possible long-term replacement for Hazard, Sarri and Chelsea fans will be hopeful of seeing both players combine at the same time at Stamford Bridge
Given the huge amount that Barcelona paid to sign Ousmane Dembele from Dortmund, the Blues will have to pay something in the region of £60 million+ to get the youngster's signature.
