As Chelsea prepare to get back underway on the pitch, those in the boardroom can also return to the negotiation table following the transfer window opening again for the rest of the summer.
The Blues have already brought in Liam Delap ahead of their opening Club World Cup game against LAFC, and will be hoping to make his debut on Monday night.
Enzo Maresca will have been hoping that he would have had more big-name additions in his squad for the competition in the United States, however the Blues missed out on a couple of deals on the first deadline day.
One of those they came close to signing was Jamie Gittens, with Chelsea actually offering what Borussia Dortmund wanted in terms of money, however not in the structure the Bundesliga side wanted.
Enzo Maresca tips Chelsea to sign a new winger this summer
Chelsea were surprised they hadn’t brought Gittens in, with that message clearly being communicated to the manager ahead of the club’s quest for more silverware to wrap up the 2024/25 season.
Maresca hinted that the Blues were set to bring in a new winger though. He told Nizaar Kinsella in his pre-match press conference that the departure of Jadon Sancho leaves them without enough widemen to go into the new campaign.
He said: “Jadon [Sancho] is not with us so for sure that is a position we need to do something. We have Noni, Pedro and Ty only as the proper wingers so something for sure is going to happen. When the transfer window is open, for sure, we can do something.”
Gittens remains firm favourite to move to Chelsea
Despite now not being eligible to feature at the Club World Cup for the Blues following being called up by Dortmund, the expectation remains that he will join the club this summer.
Gittens is desperate to join Chelsea, and it looks as if it is interest from Joe Shields that is driving the Blues towards the signing.
The Blues do have a number of other names on their list to bring in this summer, with Alejandro Garnacho remaining a target after interest in January.
Maresca was keen on Garnacho at the time, however Gittens is now in pole position to be brought in during this transfer window.
