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Kai Havertz joins Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell at Stamford Bridge – How Chelsea will line-up next season with FIVE new signings
The transfers are coming thick and fast for Chelsea with another major deal announced.
Kai Havertz was confirmed as the Blues’ fifth big summer signing on Friday night after the Premier League side struck an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen which could be worth up to £70million.
Ben Chillwell had his £50m move from Leicester confirmed recently and he was quickly joined at Stamford Bridge by Brazil great Thiago Silva who move on a free transfer.
The 35-year-old has signed a one-year deal after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, with the option of extending that contract by a further year.
Chilwell’s deal is for an initial £50m, with extra in performance related add-ons.
Those two transfers came following the arrivals of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech for £48m and £36m respectively.
Malang Sarr has also been signed on a free transfer, although he is set to go straight out on loan as he is seen as one for the future rather than the here and now.
The Blues are certainly making up for lost time following their transfer ban last summer, and in short, they mean business.
However, the arrival of such big names will signal concern for the players who helped Chelsea finish fourth in 2019/20, many of whom graduated from the club’s academy.
The likes of Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham will surely be wondering what all this means for their place in the starting XI.
Here, talkSPORT.com takes a look at who looks set to drop out as new guys come in.
How Chelsea looked last season
A spot on the wing has been vacated by Willian’s move to Arsenal, but there are so many players who could fill it.
Ziyech is naturally a winger, while Werner and Havertz can also play there.
Christian Pulisic was Chelsea’s standout player last season so his place looks safe, but Callum Hudson-Odoi faces a serious battle to get in the starting XI.
As does Abraham, as many expect Werner to become the club’s first-choice centre-forward.
In midfield, N’Golo Kante is pretty-much undroppable, and Mateo Kovacic should be too following an exceptional season.
It’s Mount, in that attacking role which looks set to be occupied by Havertz, who will be fearing for his place.
Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek also look set to fall even further down the midfield pecking order.
At the back, it’s clear Lampard doesn’t rate his current options at left-back, and Chilwell replacing Marcos Alonso or Emerson Palmieri is one of the easier decisions the Blues boss will be forced to make.
The rest of his defence requires more thought, given the arrival of Silva.
Lampard was pretty erratic with his centre-back pairings last summer, although Antonio Rudiger started most of the time when fit.
Perhaps the signing of Silva for one year will give the likes of Fikayo Tomori, Andreas Christensen and Kurt Zouma time to develop.
Also, is this the season Cesar Azpilicueta gets phased out for Reece James? Maybe.
How Chelsea could line up next season
Despite such an outstanding breakthrough season, it’s hard to find a place for Mount in Chelsea’s starting XI.
Havertz will surely slot into the attacking role in Chelsea’s midfield three, leaving no room for the likes of Loftus-Cheek or Barkley either.
Abraham also looks set to make way for Werner, but like Mount, you would expect him to feature from the bench most games.
At the back, Rudiger and Silva makes the most sense as a partnership, while Chilwell and James will offer attacking flair down the flanks.
Kepa keeps his place in goal… for now.