The January transfer window is back and with Chelsea still firmly planted in mid-table, there is plenty to improve upon. Mauricio Pochettino has made his intent clear since arriving and now has what is largely the first chance to wholely impact proceedings.
Having come into a squad being emptied of star players on a daily basis and replaced by those he had little say on, the Blues manager has an opportunity to mould the group to his liking. Starting as early as September, mere days after the summer window closed, Pochettino was calling for an aligned approach in which he had more say.
However, in weeks gone by the head coach has taken a slightly more conservative approach, dialling down his public demands but ensuring that the message is very much clear: If Chelsea want to finish in and around the top six this season then added quality is a must.
The most obvious place to improve is in attack with the club boasting an unwanted second highest xG underperformance 20 matches in. Wholesale agreement is that a better striker wuld have had Pochettino and his side sitting much further up the league.
Who that player is, whether they exist and if they did how much it would cost, let alone if it’s achieveable outside of the Champions League and mid-season are all uncertain though. The general consensus remains that Chelsea need yet more players in order to compete at the level they have become accustomed to over the past two decades.
Here, football.london’s writer take a look at just what sort of business they think is needed to have the desired effect.
Tom Coley
Change is not very often the anitdote to change. Chelsea’s large-scale mess has been brought about by too much change, too quickly. The January transfer window offers a delicious and appealing chance to turn that round.
Watching the Blues this season has been to see a side playing well, most of the time, in-between the boxes and falling drastically short in the opposing final thirds. Missing chances continually and conceding with more and more creative methods each week isn’t a good look but it’s tempting to say a quality centre-back and striker would alter the points quite a lot.
However, this doesn’t mean that chasing the dream in January is right. Chelsea need to make good decisions over a long period to make up for the plethora of mistakes over 12 months, very rarely are sensible calls made mid-season with money and emotion riding high.
The demand for a striker and the weight it might have should not change the fact that really there is nobody available that fits the bill. Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney aren’t feasibly available and going over the top to even try and sign them is silly. The work that can be done is tying down Conor Gallagher to a new contract – or at very least not selling him and coming to some sort of middle ground on his future – and planning ahead.
Chelsea can put the foundations in place for a successful summer instead of looking for outlandish ways to solve problems. Unless a centre-back of high quality – we’re talking Marc Guehi or better – is available, and they surely won’t be for sensible money, then a month of quiet at Stamford Bridge is better than business for the sake of it.
Scott Trotter
It’s important for Chelsea to find some stability this month. While the season has not planned out how everyone hoped so far, it’s important to go desperately chasing success. The Blues, while signing players for the long term for the most part, fell victim to that 12 months ago.
Of course, the possibility of signing a striker or defender remains but the club must find the right prices and right opportunities. Things not always possible in the January transfer window.
Chelsea are still working out what they have at their disposal after so many injuries in the opening months of the season. Until Christopher Nkunku hits full speed, it is difficult to tell how badly another forward is required. Some might suggest it’s desperate, but it is perhaps better to make a full assessment in the summer when selling clubs’ positions are not so strong.
Consideration must be made over what to do with Chelsea’s stars across the loan army. Already, Andrey Santos and Zak Sturge have been recalled. Finding new solutions for those players is imperative even if it is to remain in west London for the remainder of the season. With a departure for a pre-Olympic tournament for Santos, remaining at Chelsea may even hold his best opportunity for high level play rather than slowly having to adjust to another new environment.
The Blues may be best taking opportunities heading in the opposite direction too. Ian Maatsen declined a move to Burnley this summer but after few minutes could depart this month. Chelsea can afford to be stubborn, however. The club is pretty content with the size of the current squad and thus should hold out for the price they require and not settle for a loan that may not hold much benefit.
Conor Gallagher on the other hand, perhaps it is time to start contract negotiations proper. He will by no means leave cheaply but any January move would simply set the wrong tone for the rest of the season.
Bobby Vincent
There is, of course, plenty for Chelsea to do this month. It would not be a transfer window if not.
But I genuinely think one of the most important pieces of business for the club to do is to tie Conor Gallagher down to a new contract. If all of that work isn’t feasible in this period of time, then at least reach some sort of agreement with the midfielder over where his future lies.
All of this uncertainty isn’t good for anyone – as we saw with Mason Mount not so long ago. Get that sorted while of course addressing the two priorities in terms of incomings.
Of course a striker is on the agenda. Although the two names that have been spoken about the most – Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney – look unlikely to move this month.
I don’t think Chelsea will – or should – rush their decision when it comes to bringing in a striker. January transfer windows often see teams panic and overpay for options when they could wait until the summer instead.
The return of Christopher Nkunku is huge and if Chelsea can keep him fit, then perhaps they won’t even need a striker. In terms of centre-backs, I would like to see someone come in and be a clear long-term replacement for Thiago Silva.
The fact that Chelsea are relying on the 39-year-old pretty much every game, considering the amount of money the club have spent in recent windows, is not a good sign. But yeah, get Gallagher sorted.
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