Brighton & Hove Albion manager Graham Potter believes Chelsea will want to compete for the Premier League title this season.
The Blues have recruited heavily in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech bolstering an already-impressive front line.
Frank Lampard's side have also strengthened their back line with the signings of Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva, and are expected to complete a deal for Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
Chelsea travel to the Amex for their first game of the season on Monday evening, where they face Potter's Brighton side, themselves looking to improve on last year's showing in the league.
And Potter believes Blues head coach Lampard will be aiming higher than merely finishing in the top four again, after their expansive summer business.
"The intention is clear," he told reporters ahead of the game.
"They want to compete at the top. They had a really good season in terms of finishing fourth with a transfer embargo and introducing new young players and playing in the Champions League.
“I'm guessing for a club like Chelsea and for someone like Frank [Lampard] who has competed at the top for most of his career, they will want to push on and try to compete for the title.
“It looks like they have recruited well and got some really good players in to addition to the good players they have already, and they will be a strong side, there’s no doubt about that.
“We expect them to be a force again, but this is the Premier League and we look forward to the challenge."
