Ten players who could join Chelsea in January
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 4 Jan 2022 14:47 GMT
- 9 min read
Chelsea once again spent big in the summer window with Romelu Lukaku re-joining the club from Inter for a club record fee.
The Belgian arrived with high expectations, but he hasn't lived up to those so far, either on the pitch, and certainly not off it. Injuries have played a part in his on-pitch displays, but his off-field antics have certainly caused more media attention.
Lukaku has publicly stated that he was "unhappy" at his situation at Chelsea in December, and expressed a serious interest in returning to Inter in the near future.
It caused ripples of media controversy, and Chelsea fans have turned on the Belgian. However, Thomas Tuchel has revealed that the player has apologised to him, and the club are moving on from his comments, so a sale in January won't happen, and hence a replacement won't be needed.
Other than Lukaku, the Blues also bought in Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid, but he's been disappointing, and overall it wasn't the biggest summer overhaul, especially by Chelsea's standards.
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Although the Blues were in the title race for large chunks of the season, December's injury and COVID issues have seen them drop a considerable amount behind Manchester City, and a push for top spot in the Premier League now seems unlikely.
However, with cup competitions and potentially a top four battle to contend with, as well as pending contractual issues, Chelsea may dip into the January transfer market.
Ben Chilwell's injury leaves them light as left wing-back, with Emerson and Ian Maatsen out on loan at Lyon and Coventry respectively, while centre-back will become a more prevalent issue the longer Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, and Cesar Azpilcueta's contracts go without being renewed.
N'Golo Kante's poor fitness record has also left them needing addition support in central midfield with Saul not living up to his Atletico hype, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek not quite the player he was pre-injury.
So, which 10 players could join Chelsea in January?
Attila Szalai
Starting with the most likely of all, Attila Szalai to Chelsea has reported as a 'done deal' at times, with the Fenerbache centre-back close to agreeing a £20 million move.
A Hungarian international, Szalai's manager for the national side, Marco Rossi spoke to Calciomercato about players who would thrive in Italy, and said: "It’s hard to name just one player, but right now I see very well Attila Szalai, who plays for Fenerbahce, but I think he is joining Chelsea.
"Clearly, he has been followed by important clubs in Spain, but apparently his move to Chelsea is a done deal."
Reports have highlighted Chelsea's interest for several months, but it now seems that a move could happen in January.
A left-footed centre-back, Szalai would suit Chelsea's left-sided centre-back role having also played as a conventional left-back at Fenerbache. With Rudiger's contract expiring in 2022, this could be his replacement.
Szalai joined Fenerbache from Apollon Limassol in 2021, and his performances caught the eye of Rossi, who selected him for Hungary's Euro 2020 squad.
It would be a big leap to go from the Turkish Super Lig to Chelsea, but Branislav Ivanovic, for example, joined from Russia, so a similar feat could be achieved.
However, some sources suggest the rumours linking him to Chelsea hold no weight, so it'll be interesting to see this one develop.
Jules Kounde
Chelsea desperately wanted Jules Kounde over the summer, and a deal looked set to be agreed before Sevilla suddenly increased their asking price.
That ended a potential move, with the Blues holding firm and not succumbing to paying over-the-odds for the Frenchman. The failed move allowed Trevoh Chalobah a chance in the first-team, which he has grabbed with both hands after some incredible early season form.
However, the Blues may dip back into the market for Kounde in January. It's highly unlikely to be as a Chalobah replacement, but instead one of those out of contract in the summer.
As mentioned earlier, Chelsea have an issue with the contracts of their centre-halves, so signing Kounde could become a necessity rather than a want.
Now fully integrated in the senior France squad, Kounde helped Les Blues to Nations League glory earlier in 2021, and he is still impressing alongside the often erratic Diego Carlos as Sevilla currently hold the best defensive record in Spain.
Matthijs de Ligt
Chelsea's want for a centre-back is clearly seen here. As well as Kounde and Szalai, they have also been pursuing Juventus' Matthijs de Ligt. Reports suggested the club were interested while he was still at Ajax, but concrete talks were never held.
Now a few years later, De Ligt is once more on Chelsea's radar. The Dutchman hasn't been perfect in Italy, but Thomas Tuchel remains keen on the player.
With an ageing backline around him in Turin, the Dutch defender won't come cheap, especially as his contract expires in 2024.
According to Eurosport, Chelsea are keeping tabs on De Ligt, and a January move wouldn't be a surprise at all. However, they may wait until the summer, when the likes of Rudiger may leave.
Niklas Sule
Yet another centre-back, and the final on this list, Niklas Sule is a player that Tuchel is a big fan of, and he appears keen on adding the German to his squad. Capable of playing right-back as well, he suits the wide centre-back role in Chelsea's system, and a move may not be too difficult.
His contract expires next summer, and as of right now, there are now signs of a renewal coming soon.
Plenty of reports across Europe have linked the player to Chelsea, but the 6ft5in defender is more of a summer target.
But, if an injury occurs over the busy Christmas period, which is fairly likely, then a move may be brought forward by six months.
Nicolas Tagliafico
Nicolas Tagliafico was in the discussion alongside Ben Chilwell and Sergio Reguilon when Chelsea were pursuing a left-back under Frank Lampard back in 2020.
The club opted for Chilwell, and it's fair to say that choice has worked out. However, the Englishman will now spend a lengthy spell on the treatment table, and with Marcos Alonso not quite up to scratch defensively, they could look for an alternative in January.
Chelsea are in a hard position because Chilwell will return to being first choice when he's fit again, so it's likely this player will play for six months before being dropped.
But, Tagliafico actually fits that role. The reason why is his lack of current involvement at Ajax. While he was a regular under Erik ten Hag for the past three seasons, he isn't anymore.
Lisandro Martinez and Jurrien Timber have been the starting centre-back pairing, which has pushed Daley Blind to left-back, and the Argentine international Tagliafico to the bench.
So far this term, he's started just two league games, and ranks 18th in the Ajax squad for league minutes during the 2021/22 campaign. Tagliafico is attainable, and could be an excellent option.
Ian Maatsen (recall from loan at Coventry)
The alternative to that is recalling Ian Maatsen from his loan at Coventry.
The Dutch left-back has excelled in the Championship, and has arguably been the division's best full-back so far this season, at least on the left flank.
He only has one Chelsea appearance to his name, and did spend last season on loan at Charlton in League One, so bringing him back would be a risk, especially if Alonso proves to be the superior player.
Only 19, it may be best to keep him at Coventry, despite rumours suggesting he could return to Stamford Bridge early. Furthermore, it seems Chelsea aren't too keen on rushing him into first-team action.
Aurelien Tchouameni
The AS Monaco man should be top of every top European side's wish-list and he certainly is on Chelsea's radar.
A fully-fledge France international, Tchouameni has been delivering week-in, week-out since leaving Bordeaux for Monaco in January 2020, and both Chelsea and Manchester United are seriously interested.
With Kante constantly injured, and Jorginho now 30, Tchouameni would be ideal for Chelsea's double pivot in midfield, and ensure they have the best midfield options across the entirety of Europe.
Making over 5.0 tackles and interceptions P90, Tchouameni is a defensive powerhouse, and although he would cost a pretty penny, he'd both worth it all.
Reports say Chelsea are monitoring him closely, so a move could be completed imminently.
Declan Rice
The alternative to Tchouameni for both Chelsea and Man Utd is Declan Rice. It seems inevitable that he'll leave West Ham soon, despite their resurgence under David Moyes over the past 12 months.
It may be a case of Chelsea sign one and Man Utd sign the other of Rice and Tchouameni, but the Blues do have the upper hand when it comes to the England international.
He played for Chelsea's academy, and has constantly been linked with a return to the club. After West Ham's victory over Chelsea, Tuchel said this about Rice: "I am absolutely aware that he is a Chelsea boy and he comes through the academy and he is very close to our guys.
"He’s a very strong player and in general, I am absolutely impressed by [Tomas] Soucek and him, what they do since I came into the Premier League. What they do for West Ham.
"They are real helpers on the pitch, they have an incredible volume both of them. They take responsibility for high pressing, for deep defending, for filling the gaps on the wings, for deep build-up, for goals from set-pieces. Both of them are simply doing everything."
Clearly an admirer of Rice, Tuchel could be a key factor in Chelsea's pursuit if he gives the all-clear in January.
The only caveat is that West Ham will likely turn down any bid in the middle of the season as they fight for a place in the top four.
Conor Gallagher (recall from loan at Crystal Palace)
A cheaper option to Tchouameni or Rice would be to bring back Conor Gallagher from his loan at Crystal Palace.
Gallagher has been sensational at Selhurst Park, earning an England call-up and his senior international debut as a result of his form. A box-to-box high-energy midfielder, Gallagher also has the intelligence to play deeper, as shown in Palace's recent games against Man Utd and Leeds.
He could match Kante's energy, while also providing creativity in the final third; he could be an ideal Tuchel player.
But, there's no point recalling him if he's going to sit on the bench - Gallagher needs minutes, and he's getting them at Palace.
Federico Chiesa
The final player is Federico Chiesa. In the same report that linked De Ligt with the Stamford Bridge club, Chiesa is also said to be a rumoured target of Chelsea.
Reports have suggested his relationship with Massimiliano Allegri isn't perfect, and he certainly isn't being used wisely by the Italian manager.
With just one goal and one assist in nine Serie A starts this term, he hasn't hit peak form, but Chiesa is still the explosive player displayed at the European Championship.
It would be an expensive risk to buy Chiesa in January, especially with the options already available to Tuchel, but the Blues have done stranger things in the past.
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