Chelsea only have three weeks or so to give Enzo Maresca exactly what he wants before the transfer window slams shut. The Blues have already welcomed lots of exciting new players to Stamford Bridge this summer, but they've shown no sign of slowing down as the deadline approaches.
The west Londoners began by bringing in Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr after having agreed deals with Sporting and Strasbourg, respectively, earlier in the year. Then, eager to bolster Maresca's attacking options, Chelsea swiftly wrapped up deals for Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.
As the Blues progressed to the latter stages of the Club World Cup, they signed Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund. Sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart eventually turned their attention to outgoings as they looked to raise some funds.
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Once the likes of Noni Madueke and Joao Felix were offloaded, Chelsea raced to secure Jorrel Hato's signature. While the west Londoners have forked out nearly £250m on new players this summer, they've raised more in sales (£131.7m) than any other team in the Premier League.
There's still work to be done, though. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at what Chelsea must do to give Maresca exactly what he wants: tactical fluidity.
Chelsea finally sign dream Maresca targetChelsea must do whatever it takes to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig. The 22-year-old attacking midfield has emerged as a target for the Blues earlier this summer, with Maresca keen to bolster his attacking options.
football.london understands that Chelsea are still in talks with the Bundesliga outfit over a move for Simons. The west Londoners have reached a broad agreement with the Netherlands international on personal terms, but the two clubs are yet to agree a fee.
Simons has enjoyed spells on either flank during his time in the Bundesliga, but he favours a central role, which allows him to play between the lines and receive the ball in the half-spaces. The maestro's versatility offers Chelsea lots of options - which is exactly what he wants.
If the Blues were to sign Simons, he'd either start on the left of Maresca's new setup, which essentially requires two number tens, or in a central role - whether that's covering for Cole Palmer or shifting the talisman out to the right wing.
But, first, Chelsea must offload Dewsbury-HallBefore Chelsea splash the cash on Simons they should cash in on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who's recently emerged as a target for Everton. football.london understands that the Toffees have agreed a deal to sign the 26-year-old midfielder.
Everton opened talks with the Blues on Monday, with David Moyes said to be a long admirer of Dewsbury-Hall. It's understood that the Toffees are set pay around £28m, including achievable add-ons, for the Englishman, whose current contract at Stamford Bridge runs until June 2029.
With some extra cash in Maresca's pocket, Chelsea could finally strike an agreement with Leipzig for Simons. In an ideal world, the Blues wrap up their final business in the coming days and add the £67m-rated Dutchman to their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
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