There’s an unexpected Premier League title challenge happening at Stamford Bridge, no matter what Enzo Maresca may try and tell you.
Chelsea are Liverpool’s closest challengers, trailing the Reds by just two points at the top of the table. In fact, the Blues can rise to the summit on Sunday – if only for a couple of hours – as they face Everton at 2pm, before Liverpool go to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at 4.30pm.
They would have played two more games than Liverpool by that point and head coach Maresca is still downplaying a title challenge this season. He said on Sunday: “No matter how many games we win, I think we are not ready to compete for the title.
“One of the reasons why is that the team that knows how to compete to win titles, they won’t concede goals we concede. A team that knows how to win titles, that is not a goal they know how to concede.”
But with the January transfer window opening in just two weeks’ time now, owners Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and Clearlake Capital may look to make some moves in order to help Maresca in his surprise title bid in the second half of the season.
Who could and should Chelsea make a move for first though? We asked football.london writers to delvier their verdict.
Lee Wilmot
It seems crazy to say it, given they’ve got about 15 on their books, but a new goalkeeper might just give Chelsea the lift they need in the Premier League title race.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been pretty impressed with Robert Sanchez in recent weeks, that’s despite his flailing dive to nowhere as Dominic Solanke opened the scoring for Tottenham in the London derby last week. Just go back and watch that goal and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
But I just feel like a really strong established No.1 is one of the only things missing from Enzo Maresca’s team at the moment.
Caoimhin Kelleher is too good to be a number two and has been linked with a move away from Liverpool, but what about Mike Maignan at AC Milan, or even Gianluigi Donnarumma at Paris Saint-Germain? Both would be huge upgrades and would be available for cut-price deals in January with their contracts having just 18 months left to run.
Chelsea have not been averse to splashing the cash and with an unlikely title challenge on their hands, what better time than to really strengthen your squad?
Jake Stokes
Chelsea should look to sign a new centre-half to partner Levi Colwill at the back. With Wesley Fofana injured, Enzo Maresca is in desperate need of a world-class defender to take the Cobham graduate under his wing.
Colwill has been excellent this season, but the Blues are approaching their ‘Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool moment’. When Jurgen Klopp signed the Dutchman from Southampton in January 2018 for a then-record transfer fee of £75million, the Reds went up a level.
Suddenly, they were the strongest team in the world, quickly winning the Champions League and the Club World Cup. A Van Dijk-esque signing would have a similar impact at Stamford Bridge – although perhaps not as dramatic of an upturn!
But, there’s one problem. Who would be the Van Dijk-esque signing? Chelsea aren’t blessed with too many options on the market, but I’d like to see the Blues take a punt on Cristhian Mosquera at Valencia. Or, failing that, why not go for the real deal… THE Van Dijk, who could be available for a cut-price fee with his contract at Anfield set to expire in the summer…
Sam Truelove
Chelsea have long been linked with a striker and I can see the club buying a new No.9 despite the form of Nicolas Jackson this season. I like Jackson and there’s no doubt he has improved but I think the Blues need two top forwards given the amount of football is played in the modern game.
Victor Osimhen could be perfect. The 25-year-old has scored 10 goals in 14 appearances while on loan at Galatasaray from Napoli but reports suggest he could be available in January should a club pay the Italian side what they want.
Osimhen could actually complement Jackson and the pair would give Enzo Maresca two very good options. If a deal cannot be done in January then the Blues could look to strike a deal in the summer, given the Nigerian is likely to look for a permanent move away from Napoli.
