🦁 PL Previews: Sterling arrives but trouble ahead for Chelsea? | OneFootball

Chelsea are looking to make a fresh start this season under new ownership, and have made multiple changes in personnel behind the scenes.

There have been key changes both in the heart of the defence and the centre of the attack, but it doesn’t seem like boss Thomas Tuchel feels like Chelsea’s troubles are over yet.

Following a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in pre-season, the coach questioned the players’ “physical and mental commitment” as he said the club needed to make signings. Not the most inspiring message as the season nears.

Click here to see all of our season previews so far.

Transfers 🔁

In: Raheem Sterling (Manchester City, £50m), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli, £33.8m), Omari Hutchinson (Arsenal, undisclosed)

Out: Romelu Lukaku (Inter, loan), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid, free), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona, free), Jack Clarke-Salter (QPR, free), Danny Drinkwater, Charley Musonda (both released)

Transfer balance: -£83.8m

Key fixtures 📆

🔑 Key player: Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling is Chelsea’s new star in attack, and he will be key to the side’s success in 2022/23.

The English forward scored 13 goals and provided five assists in only 23 starts for Manchester City last season, and it’s to be expected that his tally will rise when Chelsea make him an essential member of the first team next season.

His record of 91 goals in 225 Premier League appearances for City is one that often gets overlooked, but Chelsea will be hoping that Sterling becomes hard to ignore in a darker blue shirt in the forthcoming campaign.

What has changed since last season? 🤔

Extreme turbulence caused by last season’s sanctions has been replaced by the relative calm of Todd Boehly’s ownership.

The US businessman promised to “build on Chelsea’s remarkable history of success” and the start of that process was to bring in Raheem Sterling from Manchester City.

The disappointment of Romelu Lukaku’s season back at the Bridge has been moved on from, with the Belgian moving back to Inter on loan, and Tuchel now has to build a new backline after Kalidou Koulibaly arrived to offset the departures of Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen.

But moves for Raphinha and Jules Koundé have failed and start to life under Boehly is looking a little bumpy despite the American’s best efforts.

Predicted XI 🔮

(3-4-3) — Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Kanté, Kovačić, Chilwell; Mount, Havertz, Sterling

Where will they finish? 🏆

Premier League: 4th Champions League: Round of 16 FA Cup: Semi-final EFL Cup: Runners-up

Click here to see all of our season previews so far.