Chelsea summer transfer news, odds and predicted Enzo Maresca line-ups | OneFootball

It’s back to square one for Chelsea.

After showing signs of progress in 2024, securing a sixth-placed finish, the Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino.

One of the reasons for the departure by mutual consent, according to reports, was the fact that Pochettino wanted more say in the club’s transfers. The board, instead, wanted a manager to work with what they gave him, among other factors such as statistical performance.

Enzo Maresca is the man now at the helm, leading Chelsea into the new season which will also see them in the Europa Conference League. It’s been another busy summer for Chelsea so far with regards to transfers.

Squad trimming has seen Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, Omari Hutchinson, Hakim Ziyech and Thiago Silva all leave, with the likes of Djordje Petrovic and Trevoh Chalobah tipped to follow them. Coming into Stamford Bridge so far has been Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Omari Kellyman, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Marc Guiu and Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Blues are being linked with more players as they look to climb the Premier League table. We’ve taken a look at the strong rumours, bookmakers’ favourites and added a couple of our own suggestions below…

Filip Jorgensen

According to reports, Chelsea are pushing hard for the signing of Filip Jorgensen. The Blues currently have three senior goalkeepers to deal with, as Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic joined by Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Kepa will be frozen out or sold if he can, and the club are also hoping to cash in on Petrovic. But it looks like Sanchez isn’t the first-choice option — with Jorgensen expected to join and become No.1.

The Swedish goalkeeper made the move to Spain when he was just 11 and has been at Villarreal since the summer of 2015. Now 22, Jorgensen is Villarreal’s first-choice goalkeeper, playing 36 of their 38 league games last season.

Last season in La Liga, Jorgensen kept six clean sheets and made 143 saves, the latter more than any other goalkeeper in the division. He caught 29 crosses and made 16 punched clearances, but Chelsea are signing Jorgensen for his shot-stopping. They want a goalkeeper comfortable with the ball at his feet.

Jorgensen completed 875 passes in La Liga last season, the third-most of any goalkeeper in the division. He had 1,528 touches, also the third-most among La Liga goalkeepers and completed 77.99% of his passes. His passes attempted and completed per 90 minutes were lower than both Sanchez and Petrovic managed in the Premier League last season. His passing accuracy was second of the three, bettered by Sanchez.

Alexander Isak

Once the goalkeeper situation is sorted, Chelsea are set to prioritise a striker. One of the biggest problems for Chelsea last season was their finishing, and that was reportedly one of the reasons why the board wanted to part ways with Pochettino.

The Blues ranked fourth in the Premier League when it came to big chances last season, having 122 in total. Only Manchester City (124), Liverpool (128) and Newcastle United (134) had more. However, Chelsea missed 73 of their big chances, with only Liverpool (79) missing more.

Nicolas Jackson was the biggest culprit for this, missing 24 of his 35 big chances. He did also score the most non-penalty big chances for Chelsea, and ended the season in good form. But Chelsea are being linked with strikers, one of whom is Alexander Isak.

Isak is wanted by everyone this summer, and Newcastle know they may have to sell if the price is right. The question is, can Chelsea find that price?

The Swedish striker was the third-top scorer in the Premier League last season on 21 goals, one of just three players to break the 20 mark. He was only behind Cole Palmer and Erling Haaland in the scoring charts. His 21 goals was the best he had ever achieved in a single campaign, beating his previous record of 17 in the 2020/21 La Liga season for Real Sociedad.

He averaged 0.83 goals per 90 minutes from 3.1 shots and 1.71 shots on target, growing as a finisher in the Premier League. He also improved his scoring chances with his shot placement, with a 2.49 rise from his Expected Goals to Expected Goals on Target.

Karim Adeyemi

An alternative forward option for Chelsea, and one they’ve been linked to, is Karim Adeyemi. The German is a lot more raw and appears more often as a winger than through the middle. Signing Adeyemi would mean Chelsea put their full faith in Jackson and Christopher Nkunku as their central attacking options.

Last season in the Bundesliga, Adeyemi was hampered a bit by injury, amassing 911 minutes across 21 appearances. He started 10 times and scored only three goals in the Bundesliga – averaging at 0.3 per 90 minutes.

This is a move more about the promise and potential rather than a ready-made arrival. Adeyemi did average 2.27 shots per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga last season with 0.99 shots on target. Creatively, it was 0.89 chances created per 90 minutes ending in one total assist.

Bremer

Chelsea are also interested in a centre-back, to replace Thiago Silva. Tosin Adarabioyo has come in on a free transfer but business doesn’t look to be done.

None of Chelsea’s centre-backs really shone last season and the one who did most, Trevoh Chalobah, looks set to be sold by the board.

One potential name, to join the back four or a back three, is Gleison Bremer. According to reports earlier this summer, Chelsea were considering a £60m move for the Brazilian, who made 84 headed clearances in Serie A and won possession 115 times in the defensive third — the latter the third-highest in the division.

At 27, Bremer is still just about to hit his peak while also bringing much-needed experience to Chelsea’s defence.

Reports have quietened recently, but things could ramp up again as July turns to August.

Murillo

Another Brazilian centre-back linked with a move to Chelsea this summer, Murillo is one with Premier League experience. He made the move to the English top-flight last summer, joining Nottingham Forest from Corinthians and had a decent first campaign.

The 22-year-old played 32 of Forest’s 38 games in the Premier League completed the third-most clearances in the division at 185. He also won possession 91 times in the defensive third with 78 clearances and 50 tackles.

He’s confident with the ball at his feet, completed the second-most take-ons among Premier League centre-backs while also attempting the second-most through balls (six). However, we must not that he didn’t complete a through ball, and his long passing was slightly lacking — though accuracy is hard to achieve there.

Murillo has also spoken about his future, hinting at a potential move with Forest a stepping stone for a bigger Premier League club.

“I know there was a buzz of interest. So, I don’t know exactly how much the [asking price] amount is, but I know there was interest,” he told Benja Me Mucho podcast.

“I had the dream of playing in the Premier League and I had that thought. I thought: ‘I’ll go to Nottingham Forest, have a good year and then I’ll go to a big club’. I had that in my head.”

Aaron Anselmino

It wouldn’t be a Chelsea transfer rumours piece without an unknown South American. The latest name looking set to sign Chelsea is Argentine centre-back Aaron Anselmino.

Anselmino is just 19, born one day before Chelsea secured their 2004/05 Premier League title. According to reports, Anselmino is set for a medical ahead of a £14m move, with Chelsea beating the likes of Manchester United to his signing.

Now, Anselmino will definitely be a signing for the future, expected to return to Boca Juniors on loan until 2025.

Three ways Chelsea could line up under Enzo Maresca next season

Maresca’s favourite

Enzo Maresca generally utilised a 4-3-3 at Leicester last season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he carried that over to Stamford Bridge. It would be a slight change for Chelsea, narrowing their attacking options.

There would also be another name in midfield, which could be Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall after he followed Maresca from Leicester.

Copying Poch

There is, however, a chance that Maresca may opt to keep the boat steady. Chelsea were looking good towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign, finding their feet with a 4-2-3-1.

In this formation, Cole Palmer can thrive on the right but also play centrally in a more fluid attack. Maresca has also hinted at playing Reece James in midfield, doing his research by watching Wigan games from the Englishman’s loan.

Wrexham clue?

In his first pre-season game in charge of Chelsea, Maresca actually opted for a back three. Of course, personnel will have influenced the decision, but it may be a formation Maresca goes back to.

Again, this would allow James to play in midfield, allowing the option to move to a back four depending on the phase of the game.