Chelsea entered the June 10 early transfer window deadline with a view to completing two more deals on top of Liam Delap. They exit it without as much as one.
From looking in prime position to bring in both Mike Maignan and Jamie Gittens, Enzo Maresca has been left without either as he prepares to take his squad to America for the Club World Cup.
Chelsea will be able to continue their business over the next six days with the main summer window open again on June 16, but new players cannot participate until the knockout stage. That is only a two week delay but given this is now the bulk of Chelsea's pre-season, it could prove costly.
The club had planned to be busy in the early stages of the window in order to get as much over the line as possible for Maresca ahead of travelling to USA. He will still have Delap as well as fellow new signings Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo but some of the priority areas have not been addressed.
A move for Maignan fell through due to a gap in valuation between Chelsea and Milan whilst Borussia Dortmund rejected two bids for Gittens. They could both yet be completed later on in the summer but this represents frustration across the board.
With Chelsea also interested in a new centre-back, as well as another striker not being ruled out and other left-wing targets existing, football.london writers have discussed what the first signing will be once the window opens again in less than a week.
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Tom Coley
Chelsea's priority is clearly on the wing. Maignan is an opportunity which has come up after getting Champions League football. If a middle ground price with Dortmund for Gittens can be found then it wouldn't be a surprise to see that one get over the line.
However, in case that doesn't happen, Alejandro Garnacho is a fine alternative. He might even be a safer bet. With Premier League experience and a price tag thought to be around the £40million mark as well, there is plenty to like.
Even if Chelsea sign Gittens, they will need some backup on the left with only Tyrique George a natural there (although Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto can both operate on that side). That opens up a possible bid for Garnacho, regardless of what happens with Gittens.
The Maignan deal seems a bit more frayed but if the player wants the move and Chelsea are happy to offer some leeway then you can never say never.
Sam Truelove
I can't help but think that Chelsea need an experienced striker for the 2025/26 season. Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap are good players with bags of potential but, with Champions League football at Stamford Bridge next campaign, a more proven frontman will not hurt.
If finances allow, my pick would be Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian just seems an ideal fit at Chelsea and his goalscoring record speaks for itself.
The 26-year-old is probably the perfect age, too, as he is yet to hit his peak. After a decent year at Galatasaray, where he scored 37 goals in 41 games, Osimhen is clearly not wanted at Napoli and could be available for around £60million. It may even be that Osimhen joins the Blues on loan, with an obligation to buy next year, so the club adheres to financial regulations.
Osimhen may well be just what Chelsea need but only time will tell.
Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Chelsea
Victor Osimhen has been linked with a move to Chelsea (Image: Getty Images)
Lee Wilmot
Chelsea have a huge squad, but is it entirely fit for purpose in the Premier League? Liam Delap's signing plugs a gap up front and there is still a big issue to be solved in the goalkeeper department, but I think a centre-back would be a useful next signing.
There are question marks over Trevoh Chalobah's future, although I'm not sure why, while Wesley Fofana may be the best defender at the club but he's hardly ever available.
The Blues have just signed Mamadou Sarr from Strasbourg, but is he going to go straight into the team? Benoit Badiashile can be hit and miss and I'm not totally convinced by Tosin Adarabioyo.
Chelsea wanted Dean Huijsen, but he chose Real Madrid instead, so it's clear there is a desire to strengthen in that area. Marc Guehi has one year left on his Crystal Palace contract and while it would not be the smartest play financially, given they let him leave for £18million four years ago, it would make sense from a footballing point of view.
Bobby Vincent
A left-sided winger, for me. No doubt about it. Chelsea have a real shortage of wide options available to them at the moment after failing to bring Gittens in before the deadline.
From what I'm told, it certainly looks like one they will revisit when the window reopens on June 16. Garnacho is an option, too, with interest in the Manchester United winger never going away since the January transfer window where he was considered strongly, football.london understands.
The Blues need someone who is going to score them goals from wide areas. Madueke has been the best at that, statistically, this season but even that has not been enough. Gittens' numbers in Germany are not anything to write home about but all the signs point towards him being a potential difference maker for Maresca.
Chelsea will not be taken mugs of when it comes to their valuation of the player. At the moment, there seems to be around £8million in difference between the two clubs, so I very much expect it to be resolved behind the scenes in the near future.