Moves Chelsea Should and Should Not Make in the Summer Transfer Window
Chelsea have a big summer coming up.
Last year, we saw Jose Mourinho act fast in the transfer market to bring in Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas ahead of the World Cup. Twelve months on, the Chelsea boss knows he will need a similar approach to stave off his rivals once more.
That business last summer set Chelsea up for the current campaign. They were swift and effective, much like the performances we saw in the first part of 2014/15.
As the season has developed, however, holes have appeared in this Chelsea side, with weaknesses in midfield and elsewhere exposed.
That needs to be addressed.
It's not just about signing players, of course. Mourinho needs to identify those he must move on in order to strengthen, and given the depth of their academy and the players they currently have out on loan, will anyone be promoted to become a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge?
Bleacher Report highlights some key moves Chelsea should and shouldn't make this summer.
Promote from Within
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Jose Mourinho has long hinted that he will be dipping into the Chelsea youth ranks to strengthen his squad.
The likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and others are now a year older, more mature and looking ready to make that step up from the academy to the first team. This summer is when Chelsea can really get the wheels in motion.
The Blues recently reached their fifth FA Youth Cup final in six years, outlining the talent they have within their ranks.
They're clearly producing the players for the future, but to see true progress, these youngsters need to start being given a chance.
To date, Mourinho hasn't rushed that process, and given where he finds his team right now, that seems like the right move.
Chelsea are evolving, though, and now's the time to allow their young stars to evolve with them.
Allow Ramires to Leave
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Ramires has been a good servant for Chelsea.
The Brazilian has more than played his role in the club's success since his arrival from Benfica in 2010, but his time is up at Stamford Bridge.
It's difficult to see what his role is in this Chelsea team.
Ramires doesn't have the creativity to command a place over the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar in attacking midfield; nor does he have that dynamic edge to dislodge Cesc Fabregas in the pivot.
When it comes to his defensive capabilities, he is far off Nemanja Matic too.
Ramires has failed to adapt as this Chelsea team has developed, and he's become a major victim.
He comes with a significant sell-on value Chelsea could invest elsewhere in their squad, and for the reasons mentioned in Slide 1, his presence next season would be a hindrance.
Save for the odd impressive display, Ramires isn't contributing enough to the Chelsea cause these days.
Do Not Be Fooled by Mohamed Salah's Form in Italy
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Mohamed Salah has been a revelation in Italy.
The Egyptian has wasted little time making an impact on Fiorentina's fortunes, scoring goals domestically and in Europe and playing a big part in the second half of their campaign.
If he performed like that for Chelsea, he wouldn't be on loan right now. He wouldn't have spent much of Chelsea career on the bench or watching from the stands. He would be in Chelsea's first team.
We've seen it all before.
Salah got his move to Stamford Bridge on the back of his excellent form in an FC Basel shirt, yet when he featured for Chelsea, he was a shadow of that player.
It suggests much about his mentality that Salah is capable of producing the goods when the pressure is off but the moment expectation is raised—as it is at Chelsea—he shuts down.
Jose Mourinho will do well to remember that if he considers recalling Salah in the summer. He's been deceived before.
Besides, Chelsea have better attackers at their disposal.
Make Patrick Bamford Chelsea's 3rd-Choice Striker
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Patrick Bamford has been exciting Chelsea fans for the past couple of seasons, and his year on loan at Middlesbrough hasn't disappointed.
The 21-year-old has scored 16 goals for Boro, leading their promotion charge in the Championship. He scored the decisive goal against Derby County midweek and was also on the scoresheet in Boro's cup upset against Manchester City.
He's still untested at the highest level, so question marks still remain, but given his form, he deserves his chance to make an impression under Jose Mourinho.
In Loic Remy and Diego Costa, Chelsea have two exceptional strikers. With Bamford filling in as third-choice—should Didier Drogba retire—it will give the Englishman room to flourish and develop his game.
Mourinho need only look at the season Harry Kane has enjoyed to understand how things could develop for Bamford.
Give Oscar His Marching Orders
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There is no other player at Chelsea more frustrating to watch than Oscar.
The Brazilian is exceptional when he wants to be, but his form always tails off after Christmas and he produces a fraction of what he is capable.
And that's why the frustration kicks in.
Because we know Oscar is so talented, his poor form is amplified when we see him so ineffectual from January onward.
Right now, Chelsea need him to be at his best, but Oscar continues to struggle, which adds more weight on Eden Hazard to be the creative outlet.
When it comes to the business end of the season, that isn't going to win you titles, as we saw when Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain.
Oscar has been a Chelsea player for three years now and the trend has long been clear.
Like Ramires, he comes with a considerable sell-on value. Chelsea should cash in while they have the chance.
Move for Christian Eriksen
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When Tottenham Hotspur beat Chelsea 5-3 on New Year's Day, Harry Kane made the headlines.
The man behind the goalscorer was Christian Eriksen.
His performance that day may have been overshadowed by Kane, but it wasn't lost on Jose Mourinho.
When the sides met two months later in the Capital One Cup final, Mourinho's game plan was all about shutting Eriksen down.
Without much creativity outside of their star man, Spurs failed to impact the game like they would have hoped and lost 2-0 to Chelsea at Wembley.
The way Eriksen plays is ideal for this Chelsea team. He's sort of a hybrid of Fabregas and Hazard—capable of beating players but with the vision to get his team moving.
When we look at Chelsea of late, that's what they've been missing.
Eriksen is capable of playing anywhere in their attacking three, and with him in the team, the reliance on Fabregas would be reduced.
It's just a matter of how much Spurs would demand for him.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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