3 ideal summer signings for Chelsea with £200m transfer war chest

Chelsea have officially moved into a new era under owner Todd Boehly after he took over the club from Roman Abramovich. The American businessman has made a lot of changes, including taking over as chairman and pushing out some of the previous executives.

Boehly is eager to make an impact in his first summer transfer window. He is ready to hand Thomas Tuchel a massive transfer budget of £200m (as per The Telegraph). Moreover, any major funds gained from sales are expected to be added to that.

Even in today’s market, that is a pretty big amount. Tuchel will look to strengthen his side with some prominent signings while also adding more quality players to his squad.

So who should be his major acquisitions this summer? We take a look here.

Chelsea to hijack Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski move?

After having loaned Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan for the upcoming campaign, Chelsea now have a shortage of centre-forwards. They will need to sign another one and, after watching Lukaku fail to impress, need someone to provide a 25-30 goals a season.

Robert Lewandowski is absolutely capable of doing that. The Polish striker’s future at Bayern Munich is uncertain after he publicly voiced his desire to leave.

While Lewandowski wants to join Barcelona, the La Liga side’s financial woes mean they probably can’t pay the €60m transfer fee (via Sky Sports) demanded by the Bundesliga champions for him.

But that isn’t a problem for Chelsea. If Tuchel can convince the Polish forward to buy into his project at Stamford Bridge, a possible hijack is in the cards. Lewandowski scored 50 goals last season for Bayern and is a goal machine.

His finishing ability, clinical instinct and movement around the final third are unmatched in world football. He should, more than easily, fit into the Premier League’s style and can be the trump card to help Chelsea challenge for major trophies next season.

Neymar Jr. as Boehly’s marquee signing

If Chelsea wants to add some world-class talent to their squad this summer, there is one poised to leave PSG. Indeed, the Ligue 1 side wants to sell the Brazilian forward and could do so if an acceptable transfer offer arrives (via Goal).

The Brazilian is reportedly considering an exit after not feeling important enough. Chelsea can pounce on this uncertainty to rope in one of the best players in the world and re-unite him with Tuchel, who worked with the forward at PSG. Neymar is one of the very best of his generation and an extremely prolific attacker.

In 144 appearances for PSG, he has scored 100 goals and registered 60 assists – having more than 1 goal contribution per game! Neymar’s trickery on the ball, creativity ability, and natural dribbling style make him one of a kind.

He can prominently improve the goal threat for Chelsea next season and knows how to thrive under Tuchel. A challenge in the Premier League can be enticing for the 31-year-old and Chelsea can give a real boost to their title-challenging hopes next season by signing him.

Matthijs de Ligt as Chelsea’s next big defender

Chelsea have also been left short of options in defence after Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both left when their contracts expired at the end of the season. The Blues now only have 37-year-old Thiago Silva along with youngsters Nathaniel Chalobah as well as Malang Sarr as centre-back options.

With Tuchel gaining a reputation for sturdy defensive structure at Chelsea, he’ll need a commanding centre-back to keep that intact. De Ligt has rejected a new contract offer from Juventus (via Corriere dello Sport) and is ready to leave in the summer.

Chelsea could have to pay over £70m for the centre-back, but it could be a sound investment. The 22-year-old defender has maturity beyond his years and is regarded as one of the best young defenders in the world.

De Ligt’s strong skills involve his aerial ability, shot-blocking prowess as well as reading the game superbly (as per WhoScored). He will only get better and grow into a world-class defender that can help keep Chelsea’s backline secure for many years to come.

If Chelsea want someone to replace the aggressive, dominant Rudiger – De Ligt is the best available option out there.