Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is set to give the club his list of transfer demands this summer and could see his Champions League success rewarded with a £200m war chest.
The Blues have long been planning to spend big again this summer, with a new striker, centre-back and defensive midfielder all on their to-do list.
Since Tuchel has arrived, however, The Telegraph note that finding cover on the right side of the pitch has also been prioritised and Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore has been earmarked as a potential signing.
Traore is seen as someone who could offer cover for Reece James at right wing-back as well as impact games further up the pitch when needed. It’s worth noting that he was on the radar for a similar role during Antonio Conte’s time in charge.
The 25-year-old is set to enter the final two years of his current contract, with talks over a new deal yet to lead anywhere. 90min understands Wolves are not against selling some of their top stars this summer as they look to usher in an era of change following the departure of manager Nuno Espirito Santo, and Chelsea could take advantage of that with Traore.
Another candidate for this role is Gladbach’s Jonas Hofmann, while the Daily Mail suggest it is Dortmund‘s Jadon Sancho who Chelsea would prefer to be their new right-sided threat.
Aside from Traore, Chelsea’s plans remain the same as they always were. A new striker is a top priority, with Inter‘s Romelu Lukaku currently a leading target, with Tuchel also pushing for a new centre-back and midfielder. West Ham United‘s Declan Rice is his preferred candidate for the midfield role, but Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni and Benfica’s Julian Weigl are cheaper backups.
“I think it’s possible [to build an empire at Chelsea],” Tuchel said. “It’s possible because the foundation is very, very strong. The belief, the determination of the club, the players, the group that they built is very strong.
“Two or three [signings] could be very, very good. It’s a constant thing to never deny change. That you always bring new energy, new guys who question the old beliefs, who challenge everybody in the training and in matches, so I think it’s a good thing.
“We don’t need another seven and another complete turnover because it’s also our job to keep on improving, because we have still a young squad and it’s not about stealing from them the chance to prove it again that they are capable of growing and evolving. But we have some ideas, of course, to make the group stronger and I think this can always be a positive thing to challenge all of us.”
