Chelsea Transfers: 10 Players Antonio Conte Should Sign This Summer
Will Chelsea retain their Premier League crown next year? These players could certainly help them.
The mighty Blues are back! After an awful 2015/16 campaign, the West London outfit were back to winning ways last season as Antonio Conte's men lifted the Premier League trophy in his maiden year in England.
However, with the Sheikhs already splashing the cash for the blue half of Manchester and many more big-money deals being touted among the top tier's big boys, Roman Abramovich will have to get his hefty cheque book out if he wants his side to stay top dogs.
This year sees the return of Champions League football to Stamford Bridge, so the need of strength in depth will dramatically increase. Season after season you hear of managers complaining about the hectic schedules and fixture pile-ups, so Conte will have to have sufficient cavalry at his disposal in order to compete. And it's not just bodies to make up the numbers that are required. With long-serving club captain John Terry no longer in their ranks and Spanish striker Diego Costa almost certainly departing, the champions will need to bring some big characters to the dressing room.
So, who would fit the bill?
10. Romelu Lukaku
They say you should never go back to an old flame. However, Chelsea have proved that time apart can actually reignite a relationship.
After sending Nemanja Matic packing to Benfica as part of the original David Luiz deal in 2011, they decided to bring the Serbian powerhouse back to the Bridge in 2015. The time away seemed to work wonders for the midfielder as he has played a pivotal role since his return.
Brazilian defender Luiz is another player the Blues have seemingly made the right call in re-signing. Often looked upon as a bit of a calamity in his first spell with the club, his successful sabbatical at Paris Saint-Germain made the Londoners offer the big-haired blocker another chance.
So, what about another former player returning to his old stomping ground? Belgium's Romelu Lukaku was highly rated by the coaching staff and fans in West London, but a desire for first-team football saw the now 24-year-old depart for Everton after a successful loan spell at Goodison Park.
After establishing himself as one of the Premier League's most prolific goalscorers in recent seasons, it's no surprise that he's been strongly linked with the champions.
With his time on Merseyside almost certainly up after the player rejected a new contract and stated a desire for Champions League football, many see him as the perfect replacement for the outgoing Diego Costa.