Summer Shopping: Who Should Chelsea Buy?
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Summer Shopping: Who Should Chelsea Buy?
Coming off the back of the club’s first ever double-winning season, it is hard to suggest that the Chelsea squad currently at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal needs too much of a face-lift.
Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea Manager (Getty Images)
He has quality in the majority of positions in his first XI and, with reports suggesting Real Madrid manager-elect Jose Mourinho will not move to sign Frank Lampard again this summer, it is looking as though the Italian won't have to worry about persuading his main stars to remain at Stamford Bridge during the close season.
However, there are a couple of reasons to suggest that Ancelotti will be more active in this transfer window than he was in January — when he famously pledged to run around the club’s training ground naked if he signed anyone (he didn’t). As critics have long been quick to point out, the team’s average age is not getting any younger, and the former AC Milan coach will undoubtedly look to buy in some long-term successors to the likes of Didier Drogba and Lampard sooner rather than lateAs Joe Cole, Deco, Juliano Belletti and even Michael Ballack (all important contributors at times throughout the Premier League campaign) could all leave the club this summer, Ancelotti will also need to find a replacement or two for next year's title defense.
The Italian has already promised to blend "four or five" academy graduates into his first team squad, which will cover gaps in some areas. But with Roman Abramovich seemingly willing to finance certain signings in this window despite his continuing aim of self-sufficiency, it seems probable that Ancelotti will look to spend most of the minimum £22 million (the club's total spend last summer) that will almost certainly be made available to him over the next few months.
Goalkeepers
The club are fully stocked in this position, with No.1 Petr Cech coming off the back of a solid season (jointly leading the Premier League in clean sheets along with Liverpool's Jose Reina), and with two fine understudies in Henrique Hilario and Ross Turnbull.
Hilario might even be sold if a surprising offer comes in during or after the World Cup (he is in Portugal’s squad) — especially as young Croatian Matej Delac will finally arrive at the club to start his quest to be Cech’s long-term successor.
Defence
This is another area where Ancelotti is going to be in no hurry to make additions — simply because he doesn’t need to. Ashley Cole and Yury Zhirkov proved themselves this season to be two fine left-back options in Ancelotti’s system, while Branislav Ivanovic and the (hopefully) fit-again Jose Bosingwa — who will seem like a new signing after missing almost the entire campaign last season — offer the same luxury on the opposite flank.
Central defense might be a weakness, with only three solid first-team options (John Terry, Alex and Ricardo Carvalho) to call upon, at least two of them having valid injury concerns. Ivanovic can obviously come across to play his preferred position in the centre if needs be, but Ancelotti might look to add a young stopper to his ranks (at the right price), although academy graduates Jeffrey Bruma and Sam Hutchinson undoubtedly have the ability to be versatile back-ups, something they showed on occasion last season.
If he does choose to add a center-back, he may well head to Italy for his shopping. Azzurri World Cup squad member Leonardo Bonucci might be of interest to Ancelotti, especially as he combined with Andrea Ranocchia at unfashionable Bari on loan last season to keep the best defensive record in Serie A (until the later got injured). Napoli’s Fabiano Santacroce might be another target, but Ancelotti is unlikely to demand the club part with the £10m-plus that might be needed to land either of the those targets, especially as they are destined primarily to warm the bench in major games for a few seasons.
Midfield
This is the first area that obviously need strengthening. Like Bosingwa, the return of Michael Essien next season will feel like having a new signing, but even with him to call upon Ancelotti will surely look to add another defensive midfielder to the squad — especially as two players he adapted to the role last season, Ballack and Belletti, could be leaving in the summer, while another, Mikel, proved not ideally suited to the position last season.
Roma’s Daniele De Rossi might be Ancelotti’s ideal signing, but again the price tag and reported interest of Real Madrid will probably scupper any chance of a deal. Yaya Toure of Barcelona might be a more achievable, and affordable, option (similarly Moussa Sissoko of Toulouse), while Bayern’s Bastian Schweinsteiger has hinted he might leave the club in the next few months, in which case Chelsea would be foolish not to sound out a deal.
Wigan Athletic’s Mohamed Diame could be an eminently attainable option if Ancelotti prefers to stay in the division, especially as Everton’s Jack Rodwell has committed his long-term future to the club — but if no target is landed Nemanja Matic is another player ready to step up to regular first-team action.
Ancelotti might also have designs on reintroducing the diamond again next season, a formation that could certainly work more effectively with the addition of a natural ‘trequartista’ to play at the tip. Both Luka Modric and Yossi Benayoun have been linked, but Palermo’s Javier Pastore might be a surprise target for the Blues — the emerging Argentine has been likened to Kaka who, as no-one will need reminding, flourished under Ancelotti at Milan — and showed in his first season in European football that he has the necessary skills to be a great success.
With Palermo missing out on Champions League football, the 20-year-old could be an attractive option for the club at around £15m (nearly double what Palermo paid for his services last summer), and if he has a decent World Cup surely Abramovich will have no problem signing off on the deal.
If Ancelotti hasn’t got any designs on returning to the diamond, another solid central midfielder will still be somewhere high on his wish list. Napoli’s Marek Hamsik has all the qualities Ancelotti might look for — physical enough to cope with the Premier League, and with the raw talent to grow into Lampard’s long-term successor. The club looked hard at the young Slovakian before January; now might be the time to make a bid for the £18m-rated creative midfielder.
Attack
With both Anelka and Drogba getting on in age, Chelsea clearly need to add a quality striker to the mix, which has seen them linked with players of the quality of Alexandre Pato, Sergio Aguero, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez in recent weeks or months. A deal for one of those stars is not impossible (with the first two being most probable) but the expense might be somewhat prohibitive, especially as Abramovich can point to the likes of Salomon Kalou, Daniel Sturridge and even Fabio Borini as players who can have greater roles next season.
Gonzalo Higuain should be considered if Real Madrid finally lose any remaining rationality they have and look to offload him.
But let's face it — goals were hardly a problem for Chelsea last year, and with time to sit on the bench while Drogba and Anelka play out their final few years, 17-year-old star-in the making Romelu Lukaku could pique Ancelotti's interest. The Anderlecht man has been compared to Drogba for obvious physical reasons, and might be bought — with a loan-back arrangement — for around £10m.
Out wide, in an ideal world Ancelotti would love to add a right-winger of the quality of Angel di Maria. If a striker is not signed then the Benfica man might become a viable target, although it seems unlikely the club will be able to avoid the ‘bidding wars’ they have pledged to stay away from if they want to sign him.
If Valencia finally realize their financial situation really is as bad as everyone else seems to think it is, then Pablo Hernandez, David Silva or even Juan Mata might become options; but with Miroslav Stoch returning from a very successful loan spell with Dutch champions FC Twente, Ancelotti might simply give the young Slovak a chance to play a back-up role to Anelka out wide — especially as it would also give young wunderkind Gael Kakuta a chance to see more action out wide.
IN (3): Marek Hamsik (Napoli), Romelu Lukaku (Anderlecht), Yaya Toure (Barcelona)
OUT (3): Di Santo, Cork, Rajkovic.
LOANS OUT (4): Lukaku, Borini, van Aanholt, Sala.Preferred Line-Up (4-3-3)
Cech
Ivanovic Alex Terry A. Cole
Essien
Hamsik Lampard
Anelka Malouda
Drogba -
Buy kaka, Torres, Messi, Xavi, Gerrard etc
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Originally posted by Rooney9:
Buy kaka, Torres, Messi, Xavi, Gerrard etc
You think playing Football Manager ar? Can cin cin cai cai edit the transfer budget ar?
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For defence part I think its high time Chelsea allow the Youth products to step up. I guess there is no transfers for Defence department...
Midfield department, I think Chelsea should get a new DM. Mikel is not good in DM. Similarly to Essien , I think they are restricted at the DM position.
The strikers department will be one to see...will Sturridge be able to succeed and get more first team action?
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Add in another OUT for Chelsea: Scott Sinclair
Infact I feel Chelsea should retain Jack Cork. Could be a future good midfielder in time to come.
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Wow, as for me, I won't dare to gamble the defense line with youngsters. Because if anything goes wrong, that's it. Strikers still okay, if cannot score, at least the game is not yet lost, but if cannot defend, sure lose. Just my thoughts lah. Maybe for matches like League Cup's, still can play youngsters but if it's EPL or even the FA Cup, no.
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Marek Hamsik is good.. And that Florentina striker Jovetic also good.. Dont need go for such big names..Time to buy good young players.
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Esp when nowadays, big names come with HUGE price tag.
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no need to spend big lah, just buy all the top guys from S-League lor !
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fernando torres.
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Originally posted by Paisley:
Wow, as for me, I won't dare to gamble the defense line with youngsters. Because if anything goes wrong, that's it. Strikers still okay, if cannot score, at least the game is not yet lost, but if cannot defend, sure lose. Just my thoughts lah. Maybe for matches like League Cup's, still can play youngsters but if it's EPL or even the FA Cup, no.
Must have believe & faith.
Like that the Youth products youngsters all cannot step up? Michael Mancienne had a full season of Premier League games on loan at Wolves.
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chelsea finished only a pt ahead of man u and on the way got a big help from liverpool is evident enough the squad need some serious strengthening.
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when Roman first bought over chelsea, they spend huge eh like FM. then after a few years, not much of transfer activity esp the 30m flop of shevchenko.
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Originally posted by dragg:
chelsea finished only a pt ahead of man u and on the way got a big help from liverpool is evident enough the squad need some serious strengthening.
when lampard and drogba (key players) are in their mid 30s in a few years time, see if they are able to replace them?
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For mi
Kaka, Aguero
Out
Kalou lar -
Originally posted by dragg:
chelsea finished only a pt ahead of man u and on the way got a big help from liverpool is evident enough the squad need some serious strengthening.
Didn't ManU also got help fr Liverpool as well? 2 matches & 2 wins over pool?
How bout ManU's "2nd top striker" Mr Own Goals ????? Hmmm.......
Rooney - 26 goals , Mr "Own goals" - 23 goals...... hmmmm.....
And shldn't TS be more worried bout who Reds shld buy instead of The Blues??
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Buy Cesc Fabregas la since they go the money and Barca don't have..
Chelsea can gurantee him titles which Arse-nal cannot .
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I think the main thing with the squad is because of in-consistency. somemore this season got so many saga of JT and Ashely Cole.
Chelsea team also missed Essien + Bosingwa
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chelsea shouldnt just sign big names. they should groom youngsters from their academy or look for cheap gems.
how much more is RA willing to throw? i have the impression he will stop once chelsea wins the CL.
play the youngsters more often against weaker oppositions or in the less important tournaments.
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Originally posted by divingutd:
Didn't ManU also got help fr Liverpool as well? 2 matches & 2 wins over pool?
How bout ManU's "2nd top striker" Mr Own Goals ????? Hmmm.......
Rooney - 26 goals , Mr "Own goals" - 23 goals...... hmmmm.....
And shldn't TS be more worried bout who Reds shld buy instead of The Blues??
well, MU did not get any "BACKPASS" for a start.
yep, 23 own goals, cause the cut back was from the penalties which seemingly manifest for other contenders..
why can't TS be worry? we are in open forum, u seriously think your views are taken by those in EPL.. U are only fooling yourself.
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Originally posted by dragg:
chelsea shouldnt just sign big names. they should groom youngsters from their academy or look for cheap gems.
how much more is RA willing to throw? i have the impression he will stop once chelsea wins the CL.
play the youngsters more often against weaker oppositions or in the less important tournaments.
of course it will be best if the youngsters can set up the shoe when accounted for, but what if they can't perform and the game is lose.
i'm not saying that we should not be promoting the youngsters, but fans will need to accept that maybe for those years, the team might not win anything. and seriously it might go both ways, they might just good enough to consider the top side but not good enough to challenge for the title.
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Originally posted by divingutd:
Didn't ManU also got help fr Liverpool as well? 2 matches & 2 wins over pool?
How bout ManU's "2nd top striker" Mr Own Goals ????? Hmmm.......
Rooney - 26 goals , Mr "Own goals" - 23 goals...... hmmmm.....
And shldn't TS be more worried bout who Reds shld buy instead of The Blues??
suck cock lah ManU fans........
Anyway! TS is actually a ManU fan disguise as Pool fan. Just ask the liverpool forum ppl there.