Chelsea set huge summer transfer budget
Chelsea could equip manager Thomas Tuchel with £150m worth of new players next season in order to take the current squad to the next level after an impressive first four months in charge.
Chelsea spent big last summer on Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Hakim Ziyech and others for former boss Frank Lampard. But while Lampard failed to get the best out of the expensive new arrivals and the squad as a whole, Tuchel has guided Chelsea to FA Cup and Champions League finals.
It has already been rumoured that Tuchel is in line for a new and improved contract at Stamford Bridge as a reward for what he has achieved so far, and now the potential summer budget for new players to strengthen his squad further could be quite substantial.
The Sun claims that Chelsea will have £150m to spend on transfers this summer, which is a considerable amount when many clubs are having to cut corners or limit themselves because of the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The tabloid newspaper doesn’t go into detail about the amount, but it is worth noting that Chelsea’s outlay of around £220m last summer was largely supported by expensive player sales, including Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata, and an inability to spend previously because of a transfer ban.
This time around, player sales could again provide the bulk of the money. There has been talk that Tammy Abraham could move on, with the striker of interest to West Ham and valued at around £40m. Jorginho also remains heavily linked with an exit, despite his insistence that he is happy to stay.
There may be one or two others in the squad that are surplus to requirements and could be sold, while Chelsea famously have an army of loan players all over Europe and could cash in on some of those if there are buyers. As an example, selling Mario Pasalic last summer raised £14m.
As far as potential targets are concerned, Chelsea are in the market for a striker. 90min first revealed way back in December that the Blues are interested in Erling Haaland, despite investing heavily in forwards Werner and Havertz. But they will be competing with Manchester City for the Norwegian’s signature, while Borussia Dortmund are determined not to sell him this summer.
90min also revealed this week that Chelsea, along with City and Liverpool, have asked to be kept informed of any developments regarding Inter’s Lautaro Martinez, who could be a more attainable and affordable alternative target to Haaland at potentially under £70m.
Elsewhere, Tuchel has informed the Chelsea hierarchy of his desire to be reunited with Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti. The pair worked together for two and a half years in the French capital and Verratti could be open to a move to the Premier League.
Should there be any approach for the Italy international, an existing midfielder could be sacrificed.
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