Enzo Maresca sets new Chelsea transfer priority as Christopher Nkunku action plan revealed

The new Premier League season is here and will kick-off this weekend - with Chelsea set to take on London rivals Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.

Fresh off their Club World Cup heroics, Chelsea have also enjoyed a positive summer in terms of recruitment. Enzo Maresca has seen his squad bolstered by the arrivals of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens, among others.

That said, with three weeks still remaining in the transfer window, it appears as though the Blues are not quite done yet, with links to Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho continuing to dominate the headlines. A number of players also face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge and could be moved on to free up space for further arrivals.

Here, football.london takes a look at the latest news and rumours involving Chelsea;

Chelsea 'ramp up' centre-back search

Levi Colwill's ACL injury has sparked an urgent search for centre-back reinforcements, according to a report from CaughtOffside. Maresca's squad returned for pre-season last week - but were dealt an immediate blow as Colwill sustained the knee injury during a training session.

The article indicates this has triggered a search for a new defender, with Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie high on the list of potential targets. Antonio Silva of Benfica is also said to be highly admired by Chelsea's recruitment team.

As things stand, Chelsea's current options include; Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, Jorrel Hato, Wesley Fofana, and Trevoh Chalobah, alongside one or two younger prospects. However, some of those names, such as Badiashile, are nursing injuries of their own.

football.london says: There have been conflicting reports in recent days over whether Chelsea will look to the market to address Colwill's absence this season. One could argue that only further departures should prompt reinforcements, given the options already within the squad. However, with several of those names struggling to stay fit across a full term, Chelsea could quickly find themselves short as they look to compete on multiple fronts.

Christopher Nkunku truth emerges

Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku continues to be linked with a return to his old club - as the Blues remain in negotiations with RB Leipzig over a proposed deal for Simons. However, in the latest update from Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, it suggests a that straightforward swap deal is off the table.

The report confirms that the Bundesliga side are indeed interested in Nkunku, but a permanent transfer is unlikely, as is a swap involving Simons. Plettenberg adds that Leipzig would now only consider a loan deal - and only under a special arrangement where his wages would partly be covered by parent club Chelsea.

football.london says: If these reports are accurate, then an Nkunku exit to Leipzig may not accelerate the Simons talks, or even be feasible at all. While there have been tentative links with other clubs including Tottenham Hotspur in recent months, nothing concrete has yet materialised for him.

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