Chelsea have already made contact and held talks with a Brazilian defender via his representatives, with manager Enzo Maresca looking to strengthen his squad in a variety of areas before his second full campaign in charge.
Chelsea set to "go big" on multiple positions this summer
The west Londoners are very much competing for a place in next season's Champions League with a top four finish well and truly in the realms of possibility, but the last two months have taught us that there is still plenty of work to do on the Chelsea squad for next season.
enzo-maresca-chelsea-premier-league Related
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The Blues are raiding Brazil.
Chelsea have lost three out of their last five Premier League games whilst being knocked out of both domestic cups recently, with BlueCo already looking ahead to 2025/2026 as Maresca attempts to galvanise a strong finish to the campaign.
Chelsea's next five Premier League fixtures Date
Leicester City (home) March 9th
Arsenal (away) March 16th
Tottenham (home) April 2nd
Brentford (away) April 5th
Ipswich Town (home) April 12th
It is believed that Chelsea are set to "go big" on signing a defender, midfielder and forward this summer, according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, and there is some optimism that they could look to bring in a new full-back.
"Our top SPTC source has heard this weekend that Chelsea are ‘going big’ for a new goalkeeper, centre back, and a striker in the summer transfer window," wrote Phillips, via his Substack.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca looks dejected after the match
"He also mentions other positions such as a new full back, but we have no definitive news on that just yet."
A lot of the noise has centered around Chelsea's pursuit of a central defender, with Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi among Maresca's key targets, but a right-back may also be possible.
Reece James finds himself on the treatment table consistently with injury problems, leaving Maresca with just Malo Gusto and makeshift alternatives to the £250,000-per-week defender.
Reece James in action for Chelsea
Chelsea could look to reinforce that area of the squad as a result, with Stamford Bridge officials recently raiding Brazil for talent. Now, as per South American news outlet RTI Esporte, their attention has turned towards Flamengo defender Wesley Franca.
The 21-year-old, who can also play as a right-midfielder, is a target for many Premier League sides and Chelsea are no exception.
Chelsea hold talks with Flamengo defender Wesley Franca via his camp
As per RTI Esporte, Chelsea have approached Franca's camp for talks ahead of the summer window, but they face stiff competition from Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle.
wesley-franca-flamengo
All of these sides, bar Manchester City, who also hold an interest, have all contacted the player to gauge conditions of a potential deal before the next campaign. Franca's reputation across the Atlantic is growing, but Flamengo would sell for a fee of around £29 million.
Meanwhile, ex-Chelsea defender Filipe Luis has branded France as a player with "no ceiling" in a serious endorsement of his teammate.
“He’s the kind of player who will decide where he wants to play come June," said Luis. "There’s no ceiling for this kid; he’s exceptional."