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Chelsea legend Dennis Wise believes his old team have a squad capable of fighting for the Premier League title - and also reckons Alejandro Garnacho can play a key role in their pursuit.
The Blues have started the season strongly, with two wins and a draw from their opening three matches. Enzo Maresca lifted two major honours - the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup - in his debut season as Chelsea head coach and Wise is excited for his former side to add to that this time around.
“The confidence Chelsea gained from winning the Club World Cup and the Conference League has put them in a strong position to compete,” Wise said to SkyBet. “I was out there at the Club World Cup with FIFA, lucky enough to watch some of the games.
"Early on, I saw Paris Saint-Germain start like a house on fire, and most people expected Chelsea to get battered in the final. But they performed extremely well, and from there, they’ve carried that momentum. Their pre-season was excellent, they’ve started the season strongly, and their recruitment has been smart - not just good signings, but fantastic ones.
"Expectations are higher now. With the trophies they’ve won, and the money spent, there’s pressure to keep competing and winning. Take Liam Delap - a £20million signing, still young, but already showing he can score in the Premier League. Twelve goals for a relegated side is impressive, and his hold-up play is excellent. Chelsea did well to take advantage of his situation. He’s only young.
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"Another one is Joao Pedro. He scored 30 goals in 70 games for Brighton over two seasons and has already proven he can impact the Premier League. Add in Estevao Willian, just 18, an exciting wide player everyone is eager to watch develop, and you can see the direction the club is going. Chelsea are deliberately targeting young talents, giving them long-term contracts, and backing them to grow - and so far, it looks like a clever strategy."
Wise believes Garnacho could play a big part for Chelsea this season as they look to build on a mightily impressive 2024/25 campaign. The Blues paid Manchester United £40million in the summer transfer window for the 21-year-old's services after Ruben Amorim told the winger he was allowed to leave Old Trafford.
Garnacho could make his Chelsea debut on Saturday evening away at Brentford, with Wise backing him to succeed at Stamford Bridge. In order to do that, though, Wise thinks the Argentine winger needs to feel wanted in SW6.
The former Blues midfielder said: "Garnacho is an emotional character, a player who clearly needs to feel wanted. Things didn’t always work out for him at Manchester United, but he’s got talent.
"If the manager can unlock that, he will cause plenty of problems for opponents. I’m genuinely excited about the new Chelsea regime and these young signings. The minimum expectation this season has to be a Champions League spot - and hopefully more.
"Chelsea should be aiming to win at least one domestic trophy and push hard in the Champions League. They’ll want to be real contenders for the league too. Of course, Liverpool, Arsenal, and others have strengthened, so it won't be easy. But Chelsea’s ambition has always been to compete at the very top."
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