For Chelsea, the team doesn't seem to have found the best pace of play in the past period. In the Champions League, they lost the first place in the group in a good situation. In the Premier League, they were not in good shape either, first losing the top spot and then slipping further down to the third place. For Tuchel and his players, they were once seen as the strongest contenders for the Premier League title and Champions League title this season, and if they don't adjust as soon as possible, they may even fall behind in both competitions very quickly.
The downside for Chelsea is that while most of the leagues have entered the winter break, the Premier League still has a dense schedule. Tuchel had to deal with an average of one game every three or four days while making some adjustments to the squad and tactical play. Fortunately, with only about half of the league running, they are only nine points behind the top teams in the league table, and in half a season, this is not an irreparable gap. And, with the winter transfer window about to open, the team can strengthen and supplement some positions through the transfer market. Judging from the current situation, Chelsea need to sign new players in the positions of center-back, left wing-back and so on.
First, let's look at the position of the centre-back. In fact, in this position, if Chelsea can maintain the current main structure, there is not much of a problem. Thiago Silva, despite his older age, is still expected to extend this feat for one or two seasons in terms of his form of this season. And, on the bench, Chelsea also have outstanding young players like Chaloba. Rudiger and Christensen are both in their playing years, and this season's performances have basically been the best performances of their careers. But the problem with both players is that their contracts are only half a year away, and the renewal of their contracts with the team is not going well. In the winter transfer window, they can negotiate contracts with other teams, which makes Chelsea very passive. If both players leave the team at the same time, the impact on the strength of the team's backline will be obvious.
In this case, Chelsea have also begun to look for new excellent centre-backs. Sources say Chelsea are interested in Juventus defence magnate De Ligt. The 22-year-old Dutch international is recognized as the strongest and most promising defender in European football. This season, De Ligt has made 20 appearances in the league and Champions League, scoring one goal and is the mainstay of the team's backline. From the technical characteristics, de Ligt, who is 1.89 meters tall, has excellent defensive skills and excellent air superiority, averaging 2.9 successful scrambles per game, ranking first in the team. De Ligt, meanwhile, has a very good ability to shoot the ball, can be used as a starting point for the team's attack, and has created two great opportunities for his teammates this season. In the transfer market, the top defender is worth 70 million euros. De Ligt's agent, Rayola, hinted that De Ligt was ready to leave Juventus, which was a good opportunity for Chelsea.
Let's look at the position of the left wing-back. The reason why Chelsea need reinforcements in this position is mainly because of Chilwell's injury problems. This season, the England international has been in pretty good form, making 6 appearances in the league, contributing 3 goals and 1 assist. Among chelsea players who have made more than five appearances, Chilwell's rating of 7.58 points is unrivalled. However, Chilwell's injury has disrupted Tuchel's rhythm, especially when he has been unable to play this season, and in the left wing-back position, the team cannot rely on Marcos Alonso alone to sustain the entire season. According to the Guardian, Chelsea are targeting two players in this position, namely Everton player Digne and AC Milan boss Theo Hernandez. Relatively speaking, Digne's introduction is less difficult, on the one hand, his value is lower, only 35 million euros; on the other hand, Everton is very interested in Chelsea Barkley, and the two sides may use player exchanges to complete the transfer. This season, Digne has played brightly on both ends of the offensive and defensive ends, averaging 1.7 key passes per game on the offensive end and 2.5 steals and 1.8 clearances per game on the defensive end.
In addition, the future of team captain Azpilicueta also seems to have been settled. Azpilicueta, whose contract expires at the end of the season, looks difficult to renew with the team and the players themselves seem to have the idea of returning to the roots. This season, Azpilicueta has made 12 appearances in the league, 11 of them starting, and remains the team's main player. According to transfer expert Romero, Azpilicueta has reached an agreement with Barca and the 32-year-old will join Barca on a free transfer at the end of the season. (The picture comes from the Internet, if there is infringement, please contact to delete)