The problems Chelsea need to solve ahead of coming campaign
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To say Chelsea haven’t had the ideal summer so far is something of an understatement.
After much speculation, head coach Antonio Conte has waved goodbye to Stamford Bridge. And his former employers are yet to make a signing of any note this summer.
Maurizio Sarri is believed to soon be announced as Conte’s successor – but the new man will have to act fast to fix the Blues’ issues ahead of the new season.
Bring in a Morata replacement
They’re unlikely to recoup all of the £59.4m they spent on him, but it’s probably time for Chelsea to cash in on Alvaro Morata.
The Spaniard found the net in just nine of his 31 Premier League games. And things were even worse in Europe, as he managed a solitary goal in seven Champions League outings.
Morata has been poor in front of goal and offered little else in his all-round play. And if the Blues are to improve next season, they need to replace him.
Someone more in the mould of the physical and prolific Diego Costa would likely be the best fit. In that vein, Robert Lewandowski and Mauro Icardi have been strongly linked with the Blues.
Play hardball over Hazard
Real Madrid are sniffing around the Blues’ Belgian talisman Eden Hazard right now, with the latest odds making him 10/11 to join Los Blancos this summer.
If the player does force a move, the Chelsea board need to play hardball with Madrid. Los Blancos have recently pulled in around £90m for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, and should be forced to pay top dollar for Hazard.
However, if Sarri can keep onto him, Hazard is absolutely a player he can build a team around.
Equally comfortable in an attacking midfield role, on the wing or sitting just behind the main striker, he’ll fit any system Sarri adopts. That could well be the 4-3-3 we saw him operate at Napoli last term, but time will tell…
It’s 9/1 for Chelsea to win the Premier League in the coming campaign, while it’s 4/6 they crack the top-four.
Their season begins away at Huddersfield in a month’s time, with 8/15 for a Blues victory.
Click here for the latest Premier League odds.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
