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Chelsea, already heading to next season

2020-08-07T10:34:32.597Z


Outclassed in the round of 16 first leg by Bayern Munich, the Blues are no longer under any illusions about their chance to qualify and are eyeing more towards the next Champions League.


Of course, hope gives life. Of course, every athlete is a competitor at heart who cannot bring himself to defeat. However, before returning to Bayern Munich (this Saturday at 9 p.m. on RMC Sport), five months after the slap suffered at Stamford Bridge (0-3), Chelsea abandoned their chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Champions League. As much because of the superiority of the Bavarians as of the vagaries of an end of the season which sees Frank Lampard having to do without many players, due to an injury or a suspension. Thus, will miss the call of August 8 and this round of 16 return Jorginho and Marcos Alonso, suspended, as well as Christian Pulisic, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pedro and Billy Gilmour, all injured. Without forgetting the uncertainties surrounding the presences on the field of N'Golo Kanté - who has not played since July 4 - and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, which could force Lampard to draw on the youth of his academy to complete his group.

Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, first in line

That is too many negative elements to believe in a miracle. Moreover, in a way, the season of the London club seems to have stopped on July 26 and a success against Wolverhampton (2-0) guaranteeing him a ticket for the next… Champions League. In the process, partly demobilized, the Blues gave in in the final of the FA Cup against Arsenal (1-2) and the prospect of finding Bayern does not seem likely to re-motivate them after a particularly physically demanding "restart" (12 matches played in forty days flat). For Chelsea, all eyes are on the next year and the arrival of many new recruits. Starting with Timo Werner (Leipzig) and Hakim Ziyech (Ajax Amsterdam), the first two to have signed for the total sum of 93 million euros. Which makes Chelsea the club with the most investments so far this summer.

Werner's first training session with Chelsea

Logical, some will say, for a club which had been punished by Fifa in February 2019 for breaches of the regulation of transfers of minor players. Chelsea could not buy any player during the summer transfer window of 2019, then during the winter at the beginning of the year. Enough to make serious savings, while having the itchy checkbook for leaders who have never been stingy in this area. By recovering the Leipzig striker for 53 million, Chelsea have achieved a very good shot ahead of many of their competitors. With 28 goals scored this season in the Bundesliga at 24, Werner is in the Top 3 of center-forward with very strong potential, in a register that could prove to be complementary to Olivier Giroud. As for the attacking midfielder Ziyech, he will fill a gap in Lampard's workforce in terms of playmaker. But these two players will not be the only ones to arrive because every day new rumors rumors. At all posts.

Oblak, Havertz, Gimenez .... Still heavy on the horizon?

Starting with that of goalkeeper where Kepa Arrizabalaga, yet landed for 80 million euros two years ago, has never really convinced. Chelsea would dream of bringing in Jan Oblak, the current last bulwark of Atlético Madrid, perhaps the best in the world today. Except that to achieve this, he would have to spend 100 million euros, or manage to include Kepa in the deal to partially reduce the amount of the invoice. And if the Oblak file turned out to be too expensive, a plan B would be located in Amsterdam with André Onana, also courted by Paris SG. In defense, the Blues are still eyeing the Colchoneros and the Uruguayan central Jose Gimenez (25). But here too, the player has a significant cost: at least 65 million euros. Especially since other elements are targeted for the full-backs with Sergio Reguilon (23 years old, Real Madrid) and Ben Chilwell (23 years old, Leicester). And the list doesn't end there ...

READ ALSO: Giroud and Chelsea get their ticket for the C1, Manchester United too

Indeed, for several weeks, or even several months, Chelsea has been pursuing an assiduous court with Leverkusen in order to recover another great hope of German football, Kai Havertz. At 21, he has scored 12 goals and delivered 6 assists this season. Which would increase the amount of his transfer to ... 100 million euros, a figure about to be fashionable on the side of Stamford Bridge. And we must not forget to also mention the name of Declan Rice, the young defensive midfielder of West Ham, England international 7 times at only 21 years old, while omitting many others. Afterwards, a question arises: even with the savings made during the punishment inflicted on him, how will Chelsea do to strengthen themselves in all lines at such prices?

Fatal degreasing for several French people?

By degreasing, already, since the list of players who can leave the club is almost as long as that of possible arrivals, causing the crossover between Julyists and Augustians on the French highways during the summer holidays for a simple slowdown. Beyond the Kepa case, Willian and Pedro already know that they have reached the end of their adventure with the Blues. Maintaining a very distant relationship with Lampard, Italian international midfielder Jorginho will not be selected either, as will defenders Andreas Christiansen, Antonio Rudiger, or even Frenchman Kurt Zouma. Still in the blue-white-red ray, N'Golo Kanté, often injured, and Tiémoué Bakayoko could go elsewhere to see if the lawn is greener. But not Olivier Giroud who, from the third substitute in attack last winter, has come back completely in fashion in the British capital. Emerson, Danny Drinkwater, Victor Moses or Michy Batshuayi are all elements on which the Blues also expect to recover a few pounds sterling in order to complete a transfer window all fire. And to return to the Champions League with other ambitions than in this uninteresting round of 16 return against Bayern Munich.       

Read also

  • Champions League fixtures and results

Source: lefigaro

All sports articles on 2020-08-07

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