Potential Chelsea Transfers There've Been No Rumours About That Make Sense
We've seen the headlines surrounding Chelsea this summer. The club have been linked with all number of players as they scour Europe in an attempt to strengthen their squad to successfully defend the Premier League title they won so convincingly last season.
According to Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard, Chelsea remain in the hunt for four more players on top of those they have already signed.
And so the headlines continue to write themselves, with Chelsea being linked to the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, per Metro, and now Leicester City's Danny Drinkwater, per the Daily Mail.
But what about those names that aren't being linked with the club? What about those players who are potentially available but have been overlooked—in terms of the headlines, at least—by Chelsea?
Looking at the requirements that Antonio Conte has in this Chelsea side, we take a look at some potential transfer targets that make sense for the Blues to be considering.
Alexis Sanchez
Read the back pages and you'll see that Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez is pushing for a move to Manchester City. It's everywhere, with the Mirror (via the Telegraph) suggesting Sanchez is willing to hand in a transfer request to force through a move to join Pep Guardiola's revolution at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea should be doing everything they can to change the direction that story is taking. Sanchez fits the bill in terms of what Conte is looking to add to his squad. The ex-Barcelona man can play anywhere across Chelsea's front three as an inside forward or the main striker.
And as we've seen from his time at the Emirates Stadium, he isn't shy in front of goal. Sanchez has been the inspiration for any success Arsenal have enjoyed these past few years—whether that be top-four finishes or FA Cup victories. Now he's in the last year of his contract, the player has the power to force through a move.
Conte's big problem is that he's starting the season with just one recognised first-team player fit in those supporting roles in attack, too. That man is Willian, with Eden Hazard and Pedro suffering injuries. Regardless of the opening couple of weeks, that has to be a concern across the entire campaign.
Sanchez is tenacious. He battles with a dogged determination, and that winning mentality he has would strengthen the character in Chelsea's dressing room.
Jack Wilshere
Sticking with Arsenal, let's not overlook the beleaguered Jack Wilshere here. According to reports, he is now surplus to requirements under Arsene Wenger's regime.
And with Wilshere seeming to accept his fate, he is hopeful of finding another club in England to take him on. ESPN FC reports the 24-year-old doesn't want to leave the Premier League when he eventually departs the Emirates Stadium.
Would Wilshere be a regular starter at Chelsea? We can almost say "no" with 100 per cent certainty; not because the Englishman isn't up to it, but because we know injuries have taken their toll on his body in recent seasons. Wilshere needs to be used properly for him to be eased back into regular football, being rotated to get his body aligned to the rigours of top-flight football again. There has to be a long-term plan.
That process started on loan at Bournemouth last year, although an unfortunate injury late in the campaign meant Wilshere's 2016/17 season ended prematurely.
Regardless, though, Wilshere ticks plenty of boxes for Chelsea. He's homegrown and can add to a depleted stock of English players in west London. Not only that, he is talented; with a manager like Conte—who was a central midfielder himself during his playing days—he would be playing under a boss capable of helping him restore his undoubted ability.
With Tiemoue Bakayoko, Cesc Fabregas and N'Golo Kante, Chelsea aren't looking for starting midfielders now. The aim before this transfer window is out is to bulk up central midfield with another player who is capable of featuring at times when team-mates have to be rotated.
Wilshere has one year left on his contract at Arsenal, which presents an opportunity for Chelsea to move for a player whose status would offer value in that regard.
So here's our wild card.
It doesn't appear likely that Gareth Bale will be leaving Real Madrid this summer. It's a move that is dependent on so much else happening, that the stars would have to align in order for any club to get their hands on him.
That doesn't mean Chelsea should be put off, though.
Fans of the Premier League were only too aware of Bale's talents before he joined Real Madrid four years ago. Moving to La Liga has taken his brand global, and he's one of the hottest properties in the game.
But Real have eyes for Kylian Mbappe, and that presents an opportunity—one Manchester United are apparently hoping to take up next summer, according to The Sun. That's all well and good for United, but Bale is the sort of player Chelsea need right now (for all the reasons explained above with Sanchez).
Imagine the Welshman as part of an attacking group that includes Hazard, Pedro, Willian, Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi? Heck, while we're at it, imagine if Chelsea could also add Sanchez to that list? That's an attack that makes a club European champions.
Sure, sure, we hear you: it's fantasy football, which is why we acknowledge Bale as being our wild card here. The process of signing a player of his profile is a long one, and with a month to go in the transfer window, it'd be nigh on impossible to push through. These deals are complicated, and clubs such as Real aren't in the business of letting players depart on a whim.
Still, for the money Chelsea could be looking at spending, Bale would be a smart investment on that.
Luke Shaw
Here's a player Chelsea have been linked with in the past, but in more recent times the trail has gone cold. Now's an ideal time to turn the heat back up, especially as the Blues have done business with Manchester United this summer in selling them Nemanja Matic for £40 million, as reported by BBC Sport.
That shows the clubs can do business, regardless of their position as title rivals. And with Matic moving to Old Trafford, Chelsea should be looking at getting Luke Shaw moving the other way.
Outside of Marcos Alonso, there isn't another left-sided player at Stamford Bridge capable of playing wing-back. We can point to some square pegs fitting in those round holes, but the reality is Alonso is the only option. That's not healthy; not in a season when a club is defending the Premier League title; not in a season when a club has returned to the Champions League and is looking to make a splash.
Chelsea have chased Alex Sandro for much of the summer, and that's a move that seems unlikely to come off. Now it's about alternatives, and Shaw is at the top of that list.
Again, he's English and helps fill that quota. But regardless of nationality, he's a fine player. He's found life tough under United manager Jose Mourinho, which hasn't been helped by injuries. As we've seen in the past, sometimes a move away is the best option to revitalise a player's career in those circumstances.
When Shaw came through at Southampton, he was one of the of the most in-demand players in the Premier League. His move north hasn't quite worked out, but he's still just 22 years old. That gives him time to restore his reputation and also provide longevity for a club.
Shaw would strengthen Chelsea's left flank and give them a rising star of the global game in the process.
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