Whereas Chelsea saved their powder dry through the January switch window and failed so as to add to a squad that noticed 11 gamers added in the summertime, Todd Boehly and firm are more likely to be getting ready for one more busy window when the present season ends.
Enzo Maresca’s aspect moved again into the highest 4 on the weekend once they noticed off Leicester Metropolis 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, because the Italian seems to guide Chelsea again into the Champions League following a two-year absence.
The race for the highest 4 is ready to be a intently run factor going into the ultimate 10 video games of the season, but when the membership do handle to pip their rivals and seal top-tier European soccer subsequent time period, it’s going to increase them within the switch market this summer time.
Chelsea plot Jobe Bellingham swoop
Sunderland’s Jude Bellingham is among the Championship’s finest younger gamers (Picture credit score: Alamy)
The Blues’ latest switch coverage has tended to see them transfer for promising younger gamers and the newest proficient teen to be linked is Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham .
The 19-year-old has emerged as one of many Championship’s finest prospects this season, turning out 32 occasions for the promotion-chasing Black Cats this time period as he steps out of the shadow of his older brother, Actual Madrid and England star Jude .
Sunderland snapped up Bellingham from Birmingham Metropolis for £1.5million in 2023 (Picture credit score: Getty Photographs)
Like Jude, the youthful Bellingham brother was a product of the Birmingham Metropolis academy, becoming a member of Sunderland for £1.5million in 2023, with the midfielder then happening to rank because the fiftieth most fun teenager in world soccer by FourFourTwo final 12 months.
And as per The Solar, Bellingham’s spectacular kind this time period has seen Chelsea ‘enter the race’ for {the teenager} and put together a ‘big-money bid’, with the Metro including that the likes of Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Bayer Leverkusen, plus Jude’s former aspect Borussia Dortmund additionally monitoring the midfielder.
Bellingham signed a brand new deal on the Stadium of Gentle final 12 months which noticed him commit his future till 2028, however gamers of his calibre not often stay within the Championship for lengthy, with Archie Grey the newest instance of a proficient teenager making that step up.
Sunderland are at the moment fourth within the Championship, however sit eight factors off the automated promotion spots, with the play-offs their almost definitely path to promotion. Ought to they fall quick, it’s going to embolden Bellingham’s admirers.
Jobe Bellingham watching his brother Jude at Euro 2024 (Picture credit score: Alamy)
In FourFourTwo’s view, Bellingham – who’s valued at €18million by Transfermarkt – is a tantalising prospect, so it’s maybe inevitable that he might be enjoying high flight soccer within the not-too-distant future.
For Chelsea, his signing would go down as a much-needed home-grown participant, so it is sensible to see why they’d goal him. However would Stamford Bridge be the perfect place for his growth?
The 19-year-old has proven that he’s prepared for normal first-team soccer this 12 months, however would face loads of competitors for a spot at Chelsea, given the dimensions of the squad they carry, so the Blues must provide a compelling pathway on the membership, given the opposite groups which can be curious about him.
