Enzo Maresca will have plenty of work to do this summer if he wants to strengthen his Chelsea squad for the challenges ahead.
The Blues are set to take part in the inaugural Club World Cup in America this month.
While the prize money on offer is ridiculous – the winner is set to receive up to $125m – Maresca will be keen on using the tournament as extended preparation for pre-season.
Chelsea's Club World Cup fixtures
Date
Monday, June 16
Friday, June 20
Tuesday, June 24
Liam Delap has already been signed by the Stamford Bridge outfit ahead of the competition, but unless a deal can be done swiftly, this will be all of their business before they fly across the pond.
Of course, this won't stop the manager from working hard behind the scenes to try and plan with regard to future signings.
ipswich-town-liam-delap-premier-league
Indeed, several players have been linked recently. Mike Maignan, the French number one and AC Milan goalkeeper, could be tempted to make the move from Italy to England in the coming weeks.
Jamie Gittens is another potential addition to the squad that Maresca is working hard to get done.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
The club have reportedly had a bid rejected for the winger, with Borussia Dortmund looking at a fee of around £42m for the Englishman.
This won't be wrapped up before the Club World Cup, but could the Blues make the move a priority?
Why Chelsea want to sign Jamie Gittens
It is no secret that the Stamford Bridge outfit loves to hoover up the best young talents. The squad is full of players who aren’t quite at their peak, but have incredible potential.
Enzo Fernández, Cole Palmer, Tyrique George, Marc Guiu and Moises Caicedo immediately spring to mind.
There could be a major overhaul of the first-team squad this summer, as several players look set to leave London. As a result, there could be an opening for the exciting Gittens.
Since making his debut for Dortmund four seasons ago, the English forward has gone from strength to strength, echoing the trajectory of both Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham at the German club.
He has made over 100 appearances for the Bundesliga side, registering a total of 31 goal contributions – 17 goals and 14 assists – an impressive tally at such a tender age.
Last season was a mixed one for the 20-year-old, however. He did continue his development during the first half of 2024/25, but once Niko Kovac took over as manager, his progress stalled.
The winger created six big chances and succeeded with 2.4 dribbles per game – a success rate of 52% - which proved he loved causing chaos for opposition defenders.
Under Kovac, Gittens started just nine of his 16 matches, scoring a solitary goal for the club, a stark contrast to the 11 goals he'd netted earlier in the campaign. It is obvious that the Croatian manager doesn’t see a future for the talented youngster in his current system.
Borussia Dortmund attacker Jamie Gittens
If the Blues are able to secure the services of Gittens for a fee that won't break the bank, they could be onto a winner, no doubt about that.
He is young, has a high ceiling and has sparked in a top-five European League while making appearances in the Champions League.
Chelsea have a player joining in the next few weeks that may be an even bigger talent than Gittens, however. Step forward, Estevao.
Chelsea's future Ballon d'Or winner
In May 2024, the Blues secured a deal to bring Brazilian sensation Estevao to Stamford Bridge, paying a fee in the region of £29m for the winger.
Over the years, players such as Neymar, Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo and Kaka have moved from Brazil to Europe in a bid to make their mark on the continent.
Brazil's Estevao Willian, Brazil's Igor Jesus and Brazil's Luiz Henrique
Estevao is no different, and Chelsea certainly looked like they had struck gold in signing the then-17-year-old.
The teenager has received some wonderful praise during the embryonic stages of his career thus far. Analyst Ben Mattinson believes he is a “future Ballon d’Or winner” while already going as far as to say that he is a “superstar” thanks to his early displays for Brazilian side Palmeiras.
Former prodigy Neymar has even gone as far as to say the youngster is a “genius” and this sort of praise suggests Chelsea have signed someone who will rake them in a giant profit in a few years.
Since making his club debut in 2023, the 18-year-old has already racked up 78 senior appearances for Palmeiras, scoring 26 goals and grabbing 15 assists in the process.
His performances in the 2025 Copa Libertadores have been a joy to watch indeed. He has recorded five goal involvements across his five games in the competition thus far.
When compared to his peers in South America’s most prestigious club competition, the teenager ranks in the top 1% for touches in the attacking penalty area (7.82) and non-penalty goals (0.95) per 90.
GOAL.com NXGN List for 2025
1. Lamine Yamal
2. Estevao
3. Pau Cubarsi
4. Warren Zaire-Emery
5. Endrick
6. Ethan Nwaneri
7. Claudio Echeverri
8. Myles Lewis-Skelly
9. Jorrel Hato
10. Francesco Camarda
Furthermore, he also ranks in the top 2% for shots on target (2.13) and for carries into the penalty area (3.32) per 90 for Palmeiras.
His performances have led to the youngster already winning five caps for Brazil, making his debut against Ecuador last September, aged just 17.
If he continues this upwards trajectory, there is no doubt Estevao will be a regular fixture for his nation under the management of Carlo Ancelotti.
The World Cup is a year away and by enjoying a successful debut season at Chelsea, he could well be the star of the show in America next summer.
His final act as a Palmeiras player will be to take them as far as possible at the Club World Cup this month.
They are in a group that includes Inter Miami, Porto and Al Ahly, with a knockout round space is certainly attainable if the club perform at their best.
Chelsea-Estevao
For Maresca, he will be able to count on the Brazilian sensation once the tournament ends and the 2025/26 campaign begins.
While Gittens would be an exciting signing, no doubt. Do Chelsea need him? If Estevao can hit the ground running, £29m could turn out to be a shrewd piece of business for all involved.
Delap-Chelsea Related
[Better than Delap: Chelsea step up move for £85m "monster in the making"](https://www.footballfancast.com/better-than-delap-chelsea-step-up-move-for-samu-aghehowa/ "Better than Delap: Chelsea step up move for £85m "monster in the making"")
Chelsea are looking to improve their attacking options further