Chelsea are preparing for the Xabi Alonso era, and it could be absolutely fantastic.
There's no question that BlueCo's ownership has had its peaks and troughs. Todd Boehly has been profligate and unintuitive in the transfer market, in particular. And yet, Chelsea have maintained their title-winning mentality, even with managers coming and going.
Now, Alonso has been appointed, given far more control than his predecessors. The clue is in the title: the Spaniard is Chelsea's manager, not head coach.
Chelsea Permanent Managers under Boehly
Manager
Liam Rosenior
Enzo Maresca
Mauricio Pochettino
Graham Potter
While he has license to direct the Blues' strategy, the need for a world-class centre-forward has not shifted at Stamford Bridge, with one Premier League star emerging as a leading target ahead of the market.
Chelsea could see bid accepted for Premier League forward
Chelsea have a number of issues that need ironing out this summer. Chief among them, signing a goalscorer to compete with Joao Pedro at the front of the ship. It would not be a surprise to see Liam Delap sold or shipped out on loan after a tough maiden year in west London.
Alonso will want to put his stamp on his Blues team, and there's one emergent Premier League star who looks like he'd fit the bill.
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea have joined Arsenal in the race for Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, who has been incredible under Andoni Iraola's wing this season.
kroupi-liverpool-bournemouth
His club are aware, frustratingly. As such, it's understood that chairman Bill Foley could be looking for as much as £85m for the young Frenchman's sale this summer, with it set to take a 'substantial bid' in that region for a deal to be sanctioned.
Given that Bournemouth have qualified for Europe, it's fair to say that they have plenty of bargaining power. That said, with Iraola leaving, this could be the perfect time to strike.
Why Kroupi could be Chelsea's new star man
Palmer will be dismayed that he has been excluded from Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup, but the hard truth is that he is many miles away from the staggering form that propelled him into the ascendancy under Mauricio Pochettino.
Cole Palmer's Premier League Decline
Stats (* per 90)
Matches (starts)
Goals + Assists
Touches*
Shots (on target)*
Accurate passes*
Big chances created
Key passes*
Succ. dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels won*
He remains one of the most talented players in the Premier League, but in Kroupi, Chelsea could land an incipient superstar with the potential to eclipse Palmer.
The lad is only 19, and he has scored 13 goals from 32 Premier League games. This is his debut year, and he has started just 20 of those matches. In fact, Kroupi has only missed three big chances.
When you look at an elite forward like Joao Pedro, who has scored 15 times this term, it's also worth noting that he has missed 11 big chances, emphasising just how impressive Kroupi has been since joining from Ligue 2 side Lorient last summer.
The way Kroupi strikes a ball. It's sensational, the mark of a natural-born finisher. Pundit Daniel Sturridge has even remarked that Kroupi is "already one of the best finishers in the Premier League." With a 28% conversion rate, he's not wrong.
Is he better than Palmer? Not yet. However, this is a rising star with the skill to become one of the division's leading forwards, and with Alonso at the helm, he might just find himself fronting a title-challenging project.
cole palmer
Of course, to some, all this will be immaterial. What does it matter if Kroupi has even more potential than Palmer? After all, the pair could form a deadly duo in west London over the next several years.
They could help each other out, Palmer rediscovering a beacon to which he can direct his creativity, while Kroupi needs only strike as true as he has on the south coast to rival the finest goalscorers at Chelsea over the past several decades.
hato-chelsea Related
Colwill will love him: Chelsea exploring move to sign £52m Hato upgrade
Chelsea have set their sights on another huge signing ahead of the summer window.