Chelsea’s summer transfer window reaches its pretty drawn-out climax today. The summer window has dragged as it tends to each year. Given its length, we go through different stages of rumoured targets, the mood of fans and general interest.
The Blues have been linked to many players over the summer months, many of those links fruitless, some more worthy of conversation.
As we reach the conclusion of this window, I thought it would be interesting to plot an alternative timeline for the Champions of Europe and ponder the implications if other targets were signed, a surprise departure and more ahead of the 11pm deadline on Tuesday night.
Achraf Hakimi signs from Inter
Very early on in this window, the Blues were heavily linked with Moroccan wing back Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan.
The link initially came as a surprise to supporters given the interest in strengthening other areas of the squad. It is relevant to point out days following the Champions League triumph in Porto, reports talked about Chelsea’s plans for the upcoming window and a right-sided player was mentioned as one of Thomas Tuchel’s targets.
Not long after Chelsea apparently went in for Hakimi along with the serious interest from Paris Saint-Germain. There were conflicting reports over how serious the London club were over Hakimi, given reports claimed Chelsea had matched PSG’s offer to Inter, but others claimed that it was never more than a passing interest they enquired about briefly.
PSG got Hakimi for £53m and Chelsea moved on. But in this new timeline, the Blues not only match the Parisian's offer but beat it. The highly-rated playmaker is the first acquisition of the summer window.
The knock-on effect could be huge. Reece James has sealed down his spot as Tuchel’s first choice right wing-back but given Hakimi’s big fee and talent, there is a likelihood James may have to look towards a centre-back role. That creates further contract headaches with centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen given the increased competition. Kurt Zouma though stays as the pursuit of Jules Kounde never happens.
With Hakimi taking up another spot, it also potentially blocks up room for some of Chelsea’s fringe attackers hoping to make an impression in pre-season. This is where we go next as…
Hakim Ziyech joins AC Milan on loan
If you have been following the reports of Milan-focused site Tuttomercatoweb, they have been adamant throughout the window of the Rosseneri’s strong interest in Ziyech.
In our timeline, Ziyech thrived in pre-season for Chelsea scoring multiple times and impressing Tuchel. He netted the opener in the UEFA Super Cup against Villarreal, and even going off injured in that game looks to be firmly in the German’s plans.
Though it did not appear to be that way earlier in the summer given Ziyech’s struggles with form and fitness during his first year at Stamford Bridge. At times it has felt like the formerly titled ‘Wizard of Amsterdam’ has looked out of place in Tuchel’s more rigid tactical setup, as a looser creator struggles for the freedom he desires.
Milan may not have the finances to permanently sign Ziyech, but with Hakimi arriving on the right side of Chelsea’s attack, Italy provides short-term relief, and he suddenly departs to some fan disappointment to play with Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori.
Declan Rice returns home
It feels like a matter of when and not if Declan Rice will return to Chelsea as this move has been touted for some time. With the West Ham and England midfielder continuing to reject new contract offers from his current club there seems to be an inevitability to Rice’s next move even if it has to wait another year.
In this new timeline, we aren’t waiting. Chelsea need a big midfield addition and no one better fits that profile than the 22-year-old. The reported £100m fee from the Hammers is mostly posturing and Marina at the negotiating table is able to bring that down to around £70m plus add ons.
A massive sign of intent from Chelsea to strengthen an area that looks strong with Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, but is now bolstered by one of the Premier League’s best holding midfielders.
Rice is worth that price.
Danny Ings as Plan B striker
With the club committing big fees for Hakimi and Rice, the pursuit of Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund is no different in this alternative timeline. Let’s make this clear, not in any timeline should Chelsea be paying the sort of wages and agent fees Mino Raiola craves for Haaland.
Chelsea have already taken one of Inter’s best players, so sadly in this timeline Lukaku stays put. This is where we diverge to a place Chelsea fans never want to go back to, summer 2017.
With the demand to sign a goalscorer, and with both Olivier Giroud and Tammy Abraham both off to Serie A, the club pursues a short-term strategy. Yes, Chelsea doing something short-term – what an insane concept.
Danny Ings is clearly available, so the Blues fork out over £20m for the 29-year-old from Southampton who takes the place of the more exciting Abraham.
Ings is a panic buy and sets Chelsea back to a strategy they wanted to avoid. Tuchel’s wide smile is slightly warped to a more assured nod in press conferences. Even if he starts the season decently with an overhead kick at The Emirates, Ings does not overly upgrade the position.
What are your thoughts on Chelsea's summer window? Follow our new Chelsea Fan Brand Writer Daniel Childs on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
