Chelsea Transfers: 7 Wingers the Blues Could Realistically Target This Summer
By Tom Gott
It's time to finally replace Eden Hazard!
After raking in the money from Real Madrid last summer, Chelsea were banned from bringing in a new winger because of their transfer ban, but they then chose not to sign somebody in January once the ban had been lifted anyway. Weird.
With both Pedro and Willian edging closer and closer to the exit door at Stamford Bridge, Frank Lampard is going to need reinforcements. Hakim Ziyech is already on his way, but the Blues will still be lacking numbers without a new addition.
A source has confirmed to 90min that spending big on a winger isn't necessarily in Chelsea's plans, with a centre-back and a striker higher up on the priority list, but the money is there to be thrown at a winger if the right deal surfaces.
So, with the Blues looking at everything from bargain signings to blockbuster additions, here are seven wingers who could be realistic targets this summer.
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
The obvious dream would be to land Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, but the problem is that everyone in the world has the exact same dream as well.
The Englishman is now one of the world's best wingers, and that's why there's so much hype around him. He brings everything that Chelsea need - pace, creativity and the desire to actually beat a defender - so it's clear to see why the Blues want him around.
As a boyhood Chelsea fan with several close friends in Lampard's squad, there are plenty of reasons why Sancho would want to move to Stamford Bridge, and Chelsea would have little problem meeting Dortmund's asking price of over £100m. That's what the Hazard money is for.
Unfortunately, interest from rivals like Manchester United could be too problematic, and the need to spend a whole lot of money on other areas of the squad makes a move for Sancho pretty unlikely. But fans can still dream.
Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen)
Sticking with exciting Bundesliga wingers, Chelsea fans should already be familiar with Bayer Leverkusen's Leon Bailey after the years of rumours of an imminent move to Stamford Bridge.
Somehow still only 22 years old, the Jamaican has endured a tricky few years in Leverkusen and has lost his permanent place in the starting lineup as a result, but his potential is still clear to see.
If he wants a new home to try and restart his career, a move to Chelsea would make a lot of sense, and he might just be interested in heading to the Bridge after he was pictured in a Chelsea kit earlier in his career.
He's a bit of a gamble, given he hasn't been at his best for a few years now, but a change of scenery could be all Bailey needs.
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
Filling the void left by Hazard's departure is tough. The Belgian's love of beating defenders and making things happen made him so important to Chelsea, and finding a player like that isn't easy. However, there's a pretty similar player already in London, and his name is Wilfried Zaha.
The Crystal Palace man has made a career about of embarrassing opponents with his skill and flair, and he's one of the most explosive players in recent Premier League history. On paper, it sounds like a smart move.
Given he wants a move to a Champions League side, this move does look fairly easy to complete, but the issue is the price. A fee of £80m was suggested last summer, and that's a huge fee to spend on a 27-year-old who flopped during his only year with a top side.
Concerns over his goal output are understandable, but you could argue that he is given a hard time by defenders because he's the only player who's actually likely to do something in the final third.
A deal would be pretty straightforward, but would likely come at a huge price. Is he worth the risk? You can make your own mind up about that one.
Jeremie Boga (Sassuolo)
Aside from Sancho, the most popular signing on this list would be 23-year-old Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga, who just so happened to be an academy star at Chelsea before heading to Italy.
There's a popular narrative among Chelsea fans that Boga would already be a star by now had it not been for Gary Cahill. The youngster started the first game of the 2017/18 season, but an early red card to Cahill saw Boga sacrificed after just 18 minutes. And that was all she wrote.
The academy curse eventually saw Boga head to Sassuolo in 2018, but he now looks like he's living up to his potential. He's made a habit of scoring some absolute stunners, and he's been making some of Serie A's best defenders look pretty foolish.
The Athletic note that Chelsea could re-sign Boga for just €20m thanks to a buy-back clause inserted in the deal which first took him to Sassuolo, which will definitely make this deal even more appealing to the Blues.
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)
Villarreal's Samuel Chukwueze is another of those who has been tipped for superstardom. His potential is clear to see, but it's all just potential right now.
The Nigerian has shown glimpses of real excitement in La Liga, and there are plenty of sides across Europe who want to be the ones to turn Chukwueze into a sensation. It's smart for Chelsea to be in that discussion, but is he what the Blues need right now?
He's yet to cement a regular place in the Villarreal starting lineup and would likely only ever join the club as a squad player. There's nothing really wrong with that, but signing Chukwueze wouldn't take Chelsea to the next level just yet.
At the right price, it's definitely a gamble worth taking, but it's all about whether Villarreal will play ball. They know just how exciting Chukwueze could become, and given he's under contract until 2023, the chances of a bargain deal are pretty slim.
Federico Chiesa (Fiorentina)
You get the sense that Federico Chiesa's time with Fiorentina could be up soon. He's an Italy international who has been tipped to become 'the best player in Europe' by Cesare Prandelli (via Football Italia). The problem is that Fiorentina aren't doing too great these days.
Manchester United, Juventus and Inter have all been tipped to offer Chiesa a route out of Florence, but it's a race Chelsea should try and get in on as well. They want young talents who are already good enough to make a real impact, and that's exactly what 22-year-old Chiesa is.
Not only does he get involved with the goals out wide, but he has even proven to be a reliable striker this season. They are two positions which Chelsea need to improve, so Chiesa could be the answer to their prayers.
Fiorentina are under no real pressure to sell, but Chiesa's contract does run out in 2022. They will have to make a decision soon, and a substantial offer could be enough to convince them to sell now.
Javairô Dilrosun (Hertha BSC)
Sancho blossomed into a star after swapping Manchester City for the Bundesliga, and a player who has been tipped to follow suit is Hertha BSC starlet Javairô Dilrosun, who walked away from the Etihad Stadium in 2018.
After proving himself in Germany, Chelsea and Liverpool are both thought to have sent scouts to watch him in action. There's nothing wrong with that, but the concern with Dilrosun is that, out of everyone on this list, he's the furthest away from being the finished article.
He's capable of both scoring and assisting, but doing it on a consistent basis has been Dilrosun's problem. But let's not forget that he's only 21 right now, so he's not exactly supposed to be a world-beater just yet.
He's a work in progress, which might not be what Chelsea need now. He's not going to be the Blues' top target, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them make a move if the price is right.