Chelsea’s appear to be close to completing some major signings, and we are already able to think ahead to how their team may look next year.
The Blues are reportedly close to signing Virgil Van Dijk and Alex Sandro, two major targets who it didn’t look Antonio Conte was moving for beforehand.
https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/878370972826353664
Deals for Romelu Lukaku and Tiemoue Bakayoko have been talked about for some time now and both appear to be odds on to be joining as soon as the details are thrashed out. Adding all four signings would leave you with a Chelsea team that looks like this.
While Lukaku slots in easily for the departing Diego Costa up front, Marcos Alonso and Gary Cahill would feel hard done by to miss out after strong seasons in 2016/17 as Chelsea stormed to the title.
Chelsea have bid 68m€ for Van Dijk, according to Sky Italy!
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) June 22, 2017
It would still leave Antonio Conte short of a backup for Victor Moses at right back and a replacement for Hazard (beyond Willian) in the opening stages of the season as the Belgian recovers from an ankle injury, but it’s looking a formidable side already.
https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/878007444303036417
The additions would also add the option of moving to a back four, with Sandro, Van Dijk, Luis and Azpilicueta perhaps lining up as a traditional quarter. That would give Conte an extra man in midfield, perhaps meaning Cesc Fabregas playing with real space ahead of a formidable Bakayoko and Kante combination, or Hazard moved centrally with Willian and Pedro both starting wide of him.
You could even play a second striker with that spare man…Â whatever the chosen lineup ends up being, it’s clear that adding this many good players is opening a huge number of tactical opportunities for the Italian manager, and the team will be better for it in the future.
