Managing Chelsea: BlueCo scrap transfer project as Vinicius Jr joins and six leave

The Chelsea sporting directors must match the ambitions of Liam Rosenior in the summer, as well as those of the players already at Stamford Bridge.

Liam Rosenior has a lot of work to do in the summer if he plans to lead Chelsea back to winning ways. The Blues boss enjoyed a promising start to life at Stamford Bridge, but the honeymoon phase has passed and he's under pressure to prove himself a worthy replacement for Enzo Maresca.

The Chelsea sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, will lead the recruitment process, with 'great conversations' already underway. Speaking recently, Rosenior said: "We’re having really detailed conversations now about the areas that we want to strengthen.

"I’ve had great conversations about what I think we need. We’re very aligned, actually, in terms of where we want to strengthen and how we go about that, which is very exciting. The most important bit, though, is making sure we get the now right as well.

"It’s great to be able to plan for the future, but I want to make sure we’re also in a good place. We want to win. That’s why I’m here, and I’m having really good conversations with the ownership and sporting directors about that."

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Not only must Stewart and Winstanley match the ambitions of Rosenior, but they must also match the ambitions of the players already at Stamford Bridge. The co-sporting directors have already had a couple of years at the helm, yet the Blues have barely made any progress.

Ironically, just as Chelsea took a step in the right direction, Maresca wasn't backed and eventually left as a result. The west Londoners are back to square one, and BlueCo can not afford to botch another transfer window.

If the Blues are to compete on all fronts, Rosenior needs a competitive squad that has a healthy blend of quality, experience and youth. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at what business Chelsea need to do in the summer.

Six Chelsea players leave

Before Chelsea welcome any new faces to Stamford Bridge, they need to offload some deadwood. As it stands, far too many players are either not good enough, surplus to requirement or need to be sent out on loan – and they must be moved on as soon as possible.

Unless Liam Delap can justify his place in the squad between now and the end of the season, he should be sold. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old just hasn’t been the right fit for the Blues.

He arrived as a striker who thrived in transitions. Chelsea is a team that likes to dominate possession, so Delap often finds himself wrestling the opposition centre-halves while his teammates try to break down a low block.

The Englishman has previously proven he's a good finisher; he just needs the service, which the Blues haven't been able to provide on a regular basis. Chelsea will also need to sell Marc Guiu, who's been starved of opportunities this season.

The Blues will also need to loan out Jamie Gittens. Since joining the west Londoners, the 21-year-old winger has shown glimpses of promise, but he's never really been given a series of games to truly stake a claim for an undisputed place in the starting lineup.

A spell on loan would help him come out of his shell on the pitch. Chelsea have a wealth of options in midfield; the only challenge will be fending off any potential interest in Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, as well as keeping Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo fit.

As for the Blues' backline, that needs open-heart surgery. Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Tosin Adarabioyo should all be offloaded, so Rosenior has the time and funds to build a defence around Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, and Josh Acheampong.

BlueCo tweak Chelsea transfer plan

BlueCo need to scrap their transfer project and find a sensible balance. If Chelsea are to compete on all fronts next season, they need to focus on signing world-class players, whom the youngsters can lean on during difficult periods – on and off the pitch.

Starting between the sticks, the Blues need to sign a veteran third-choice goalkeeper, maybe even second-choice depending on who's available. Robert Sanchez proved he can be a difference-maker under Maresca, so he just needs to rebuild his confidence.

With an experienced understudy by his side, he could mature into a reliable option. Manuel Neuer, who has recently entered the final months of his contract at Bayern Munich, would be perfect, assuming he doesn't retire, of course.

Chelsea could also do with an attacking midfielder to cover Cole Palmer. Kenan Yildiz, who can also play on the left, would've been a great option, but he's recently signed a long-term contract with Juventus.

The Blues need a world-class left-winger. The Blues have already missed the boat a few times, losing sight of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola, so they can't afford another misfire.

Vinicius Junior will only have a year left on his contract with Real Madrid at the end of the season, although any deal would probably hinge on whether Chelsea can at least qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

As for the striker position, Joao Pedro will continue to lead the frontline. In an ideal world for Rosenior, Shim Mheuka doesn't go out on loan and Chelsea sign a veteran number nine, together deputising the Brazilian.