How Chelsea could line up this time next week

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 26 Jan 2023 17:00 GMT
• 4 min read

Chelsea have already spent €180 million in the winter transfer window on the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Joao Felix, and there could be yet more arrivals to follow…

The Blues have spent heavily since Todd Boehly replaced Roman Abramovich as owner last May, with €280m paid for player transfers last summer before this January's already formidable outlay.

Chelsea aren't about to stop there, though. They want reinforcements in central midfield, with Benfica's Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo of Brighton top of their shopping list, while Lyon's Malo Gusto has been identified as potential cover at right-back.

READ: REVEALED: Will Chelsea sign Enzo Fernandez or Caicedo or both?

How and where would all these players fit in? FootballTransfers takes a closer look…

Fernandez and Caicedo have emerged as two of the most in-demand central midfielders of late, and aware of Chelsea's deep pockets, their clubs have slapped extortionate price tags on them.

Benfica want the Blues to match Fernandez's €120m release clause if they are to part ways with their Argentine World Cup winner, while Brighton want £100m for Caicedo - even if the suspicion remains that they would settle for £75m (€85m).

In any case, a move for both can't be ruled out, and with Jorginho and N'Golo Kante out of contract, the wrong side of 30, and the latter increasingly injured, they would slot straight into central midfield.

Chelsea XI this time next week?

READ: Havertz's biggest blow yet?

Further forward, Kai Havertz should continue to lead the line. The German has no takers with Bayern Munich preferring to stick with former Stoke flop Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up front, although his support in behind looks formidable.

Mudryk, whom Chelsea snatched from under Arsenal's noses, impressed on his debut against Liverpool, as had Atletico Madrid-owned Felix on his against Fulham before being sent off. The prospect of them lining up together in the final third, with Raheem Sterling for company, is a mouth-watering one.

Further back, Graham Potter has a reputation for using wing-backs, but four of Chelsea's six games since the turn of the year have seen the former Brighton man use a flat back four.

With Reece James struggling with knee injuries, Trevoh Chalobah, a centre-back by trade, has been deputising at right-back. Gusto's arrival would solve an obvious problem, therefore.

Thiago Silva will likely hold the whole thing together despite turning 39 in August - the Brazilian centre-back is set to be handed a new one-year contract in the coming days.