Three positions Chelsea need to strengthen in the summer | OneFootball

With just one Premier League game to go for Chelsea, their Champions League fate will be decided on the final day against Nottingham Forest, after a rollercoaster season which has seen them hit the heights of 2nd in the league, but has also seen them go on a five game winless streak in the Christmas period.

Should Chelsea qualify for the Champions League and win the UEFA Conference League, Enzo Maresca’s first season in charge will be seen as a big success, with plenty of positives to take away along with some improvements to be made going into his second season.

The form of European competition the Blues are competing in next season will likely affect the quality of their recruitment in the summer, as Maresca looks to improve his squad and take another jump forwards next season.

So which positions do Chelsea need to target?

Centre-back

Chelsea have improved defensively under Enzo Maresca this season after conceding 63 goals in the Premier League last campaign. In the 2024/25 season, the Blues have only conceded 43 goals, averaging 1.16 goals conceded per 90 from 1.25 xG against per 90.

Levi Colwill has been the key figure in central defence under Maresca this season, starting 34 Premier League matches. However, a consistent partner has been hard to come by, with Wesley Fofana suffering with another injury ridden season, Trevoh Chalobah returning from loan in January to partner Colwill on a number of occasions and summer signing Tosin Adarabioyo who has also played his part.

Therefore, a right central defender to partner Colwill is seen as a priority signing this summer, someone who fits Maresca’s system, can press in a man to man fashion in advanced areas, has the recovery pace to play further away from their own penalty box and the ability on the ball to break the lines in possession.

Dean Huijsen was a key target being touted, but has now confirmed a move to Real Madrid, which leaves Chelsea with their next set of options on the list. One man who continues to be linked with a return is Marc Guehi, but perhaps the best option for Chelsea would be Everton defender, Jarrad Branthwaite.

The 22-year-old defender stands at 6ft 5, has the ability to play with both feet and has brilliant athletic qualities, including his recovery pace. Branthwaite is averaging 2.07 aerial duels won per 90, making 1.33 tackles per 90 and 0.92 interceptions per 90.

His ability to defend large spaces out wide, dominate his own box with his aerial and physical prowess but also contribute effectively in build up due to his two-footed quality makes him a perfect fit for Maresca’s system, whilst still fitting the recruitment policies currently in place at Chelsea.

Left-wing

In recent weeks, we have seen Enzo Maresca experimenting with Noni Madueke on the left, adding the directness and ability to drive into the box which has been lacking on the left side for Chelsea this season.

Madueke is averaging 6.9 progressive carries per 90, ranking third in this metric for players with over 1000 minutes played this season. He is also averaging 4.2 carries into the penalty area, with only Jeremy Doku averaging more at 6.3 per 90.

The 23-year-old is a perfect winger for Maresca’s system, looking to be direct in 1v1 situations, drive at opposition players and force the issue, whether that comes from taking on his man or getting shots off, with Madueke averaging 3.6 shots per 90, ranking third in the league for this metric.

Therefore, adding a right footed left-winger of a similar mould to Madueke would be wise for Chelsea, giving Maresca more options when catering to his game plan. Two names that suit this profile are Nico Williams and Jamie Gittens.

Both players excel in similar metrics to Madueke, looking to be direct, drive into the penalty area with force and beat their man 1v1.

Striker

Perhaps the most important of them all, Chelsea need to sign a striker in the summer to compete with Nicolas Jackson. The 23-year-old has scored 10 Premier League goals this season in 30 appearances, having netted 14 in 35 games last season.

Jackson has underperformed his xG for a second consecutive season, having underperformed in this metric by -4.6 xG last campaign followed by his current underperformance of -1.4 xG this campaign.

Whilst the Senegal international offers plenty of different attributes, averaging 1.91 progressive carries per 90, taking a good volume of shots with 3.04 per 90 and even providing key passes for his teammates, his box presence, aerial threat and his finishing can all leave a lot to be desired.

Some names being linked include Liam Delap, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, but the standout name to add the attributes the Blues are missing in that centre-forward position is Victor Osimhen.

The 26-year-old Nigerian striker is scoring 0.97 goals per 90, but is also generating 1.30 xG per 90! Whilst this also shows an xG underperformance as mentioned with Jackson, the xG generation is far superior, largely down to his aerial prowess in the box.

Osimhen averages 4.24 aerial duels won per 90, winning 63.6% of his aerial duels. Meanwhile, Jackson averages just 0.89 aerial duels won per 90, winning just 38.3% of his aerial duels. This is a key attribute Chelsea are missing, especially when trying to break down opposition teams playing in a low block.