Chelsea are very much planning for the years ahead when it comes to their transfer business. The Blues, now with Enzo Maresca as head coach after replacing Mauricio Pochettino in the hotseat, have been rather active in the transfer market so far this summer.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has followed Maresca to Chelsea from Leicester and centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo has made the short move across west London after departing Fulham on a free transfer. Elsewhere, Omari Kellyman and Marc Guiu join from Aston Villa and Barcelona respectively and Estevao Willian will link up with Chelsea next summer from Palmeiras.
Chelsea certainly don’t appear to be done in the transfer market just yet and we could well see a few more additions before the transfer window closes for business at 11pm on Friday, August 30. football.london understands that the Blues are on the verge of signing Renato Veiga from FC Basel for a deal worth around £14million.
The 20-year-old left-sided centre-back is scheduled in for a medical at Cobham before penning a long-term contract with the Blues. football.london also understands Chelsea have agreed a £17million deal with Boca Juniors for young defender Aaron Anselmino.
Chelsea are indeed building a team for the future and the hope will be that all these exciting youngsters that have signed on the dotted line in recent seasons can go on to star for the first team. So what exactly could a future Chelsea XI look like?
Focusing on the players at the club who are 22 and under at present, we at football.london have put together a starting XI below.
Joining Chelsea from Chicago Fire in August 2022 for a fee of £12million, Gabriel Slonina spent last season on loan in Belgium with Eupen. The American will want to catch the eye of Enzo Maresca next season.
(Image: Isosport/MB Media)Enzo Maresca has a huge call to make when it comes to the right-back position in his Chelsea team. Malo Gusto excelled in Reece James’ absence and delivered some outstanding displays in his first year in the Premier League.
(Image: Chris Lee – Chelsea FC)Chelsea are close to signing Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors. The 19-year-old centre-back has made quite the impression in his homeland and even come in for high praise from Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme.
(Image: Marcelo Endelli)Following two excellent loan spells with Huddersfield Town and Brighton & Hove Albion, Levi Colwill went on to make 32 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea last season. That number could have been higher if it wasn’t for injury keeping him on the sidelines for a period of time in the final few months of the term.
He will be looking to build on his first year in the Chelsea first team by becoming a key figure under Enzo Maresca.
(Image: Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)Renato Veiga could soon become a Chelsea player as they build for the future. The left-sided centre-back would give the Blues options as he can also play as a left-back and defensive midfielder.
Named as left-back in our team, he could quite easily swap roles with Levi Colwill as the Blues academy graduate played as a full-back numerous times last season.
(Image: Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)Joining Chelsea in a big-money move from Brighton & Hove Albion 12 months ago, Moises Caicedo initially took some time to settle into the Blues XI but he went on to deliver some big displays during the second part of the campaign. More will be expected of him during the 2024/25 season.
(Image: Mike Hewitt)It is a big year coming up for Romeo Lavia as he played just once during his debut season with Chelsea due to injury. He will be intent on making up for lost time and kickstarting his Stamford Bridge career.
(Image: Visionhaus)Estevao Willian will join Chelsea from Palmeiras next summer. Rated extremely highly in his home country, the 17-year-old winger will be looking to light it up in the Chelsea team over the coming years.
Much will be expected of Cole Palmer once again next season after an extraordinary first year at Chelsea. The goals and assists will hopefully flow from August onwards.
(Image: Ed Sykes/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)Chelsea fans are going to have to remain patient when it comes to finally seeing Kendry Paez take to the pitch at Stamford Bridge. The Ecuadorian is set to link up with the Blues in the summer of 2025 once he has turned 18 years old.
Paez, who recently scored for his country at the Copa America, will give Chelsea options in attack once part of the squad.
(Image: Franklin Jacome/Getty Images)Marc Guiu is now a Chelsea player after joining on a long-term deal from Barcelona. The 18-year-old will give Enzo Maresca another option when it comes to the striker department for the 2024/25 season onwards.
(Image: Chelsea Football Club)