Chelsea have been busy so far in the transfer market, signing six of their eight targets as Todd Boehly gives Enzo Maresca the tools to compete.
Since the American purchased the west London club, five managers have taken the helm with Maresca inheriting a sixth-place finishing squad ahead of the 2024/25 season.
Eager to give his latest manager a fighting chance, Boehly and the club have already secured six summer signings and spent nearly £75million in the process.
However, that groundbreaking signing that Chelsea are capable of, similar to Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez's £100m-topping moves, has not yet occurred. Yet, the club could yet table a blockbuster offer and bring in a huge name to help them improve upon last season's disappointments.
Tosin Adarabioyo
Chelsea's first summer recruit, Tosin Adarabioyo, made the move from west London rivals Fulham after his contract expired, signing a four-year deal.
Taking the number four shirt, the hope is that the 6ft5in centre-half will fill the void left by Thiago Silva, who returned to Fluminense in Brazil after spending four years with the Blues.
Despite already having Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill as options at centre-back, Chelsea snapped up 26-year-old Adarabioyo for free at the start of the summer - and the defender would've done his first-team chances no harm by impressing on his debut during the club's 2-2 draw against Wrexham in pre-season.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
The first summer signing to cost a transfer fee under Maresca, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, was reunited with the boss who managed to get 12 goals out of him at the King Power last season.
A product of the Foxes' academy, the playmaker was destined to depart his boyhood club amid PSR concerns and moved for a reported £30m.
He joins the likes of Caicedo and Fernandez in the middle and expressed excitement about getting started in west London, stating: "It is amazing to be sitting here as a Chelsea player. This is a club people grow up watching and hoping to play for one day, so it is a privilege to be here. I'm really excited to get going and can't wait to show everybody what I can do.
"I have made what I think of the new head coach pretty public. He is fantastic. He is top. He completely changed how Leicester wanted to play last season, and we saw that it worked."
Marc Guiu
Another of the club's early signings, Marc Guiu, is one for the future. The 18-year-old arrived from Barcelona after rising through the ranks and scoring 23 seconds into his first-team debut.
Starring for Spain's under-19 side, Guiu cost the Blues just £5m - the youngster's contract contained a release clause, which his parent club desperately tried to renegotiate to no avail.
It seems the marksman isn't destined for the academy either. He is reportedly part of Maresca's first-team plans, albeit a fringe role - somewhat proven by his appearance against Wrexham in pre-season.
"Ever since I was small, it was my dream to play in the Premier League," said Guiu. "It's an immense joy to sign for Chelsea, and I struggled to sleep ahead of the journey here because I was so excited."
Renato Veiga
Another player tipped for great things, versatile defensive player Renato Veiga, cost the club £12m when he joined from Swiss side Basel.
Signing a seven-year deal typical of Chelsea, the Sporting CP academy graduate, who only moved to Switzerland last summer, can extend his stay by another 12 months if needs be.
Comfortable in a holding midfield role or on the centre, left, and right sides of the defence, Veiga will hope to offer the Blues some security on the pitch.
The Portuguese holding player admitted his joy at moving to England, stating: "I'm absolutely buzzing to be here. This is one of the biggest clubs in England - the biggest for me - and I'm just really excited to get started."
Omari Kellyman
Eligible to play for both England and Northern Ireland, young Aston Villa prospect Omari Kellyman made his move to Chelsea amid PSR concerns between both parties.
Both the Blues and Unai Emery's side needed to balance the books, so Tim Iroegbunam and Ian Maatsen went the other way while Kellyman arrived at Stamford Bridge for a reported £19m.
Having only joined Villa in 2022 for £600,000, the midfielder, who can also act as a forward, played for the first-team five times, all of those off the bench.
He arrives in west London with ambition, stating: "Hopefully, I can become one of the faces on the side of the stadium. I want to become a big player for this club."
Caleb Wiley
Announced on Monday, American left-back Caleb Wiley became the latest prospect to join Maresca’s Blues, costing the club £8.5m.
Joining Atalanta United's academy at the age of 11, the 19-year-old has played a staggering 77 times in the MLS, making his debut in 2022 at the age of 17.
Currently, with the US Olympics squad, Wiley isn't expected to join his Chelsea teammates this year, as he will most likely be loaned out to French side Strasbourg.
Players such as Angelo Gabriel have also temporarily switched to the French outfit, which Boehly’s BlueCo group owns, and Wiley looks as though he'll do the same for the upcoming campaign.
Nico Williams
A target that the Blues are yet to sign, Spain's Euro 2024 star Nico Williams could make this relatively successful window into an outstanding one.
The 22-year-old lit up the international tournament alongside Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal as Spain bested England in the final, beating them 2-1 thanks to a second-half strike from the Athletic Club man.
Before the Euros, the winger had sparked interest, but he has since emerged as one of Europe's most sought-after wide players. With Arsenal, Liverpool, and Barcelona all vying for his signature, the competition for Nico Williams is fierce.
Chelsea are not short of money, and with players like Malang Sarr having freed up their wage bill and further outgoings also likely, there is no reason why the Blues cannot make an approach for the Spanish wide-man.
A £49m release clause means the bank won't have to be destroyed should an approach be made, and the player's current captain has warned him against a move to Barcelona.
In a press conference, Athletic Club's Oscar de Marcos stated flippantly: "There is a belief that when Barca wants you, there is a logic that you have to go to Barcelona. And if you don't go, you are making a mistake. You must keep in mind that not everything that glitters is gold."
Though the Spaniard's comments may give Chelsea hope of securing a deal for Williams, they would face incredibly stiff competition regardless of De Marcos' comments.
Alexander Isak
Another player whose deal would be difficult to complete, Alexander Isak, has announced himself as one of the Premier League's top marksmen.
Twenty-one goals in just 30 league appearances last campaign saw him third behind Erling Haaland and prospective teammate Cole Palmer in the race for the Golden Boot.
The Swede only joined Newcastle in 2022 for a club-record £63m fee, but the club could demand nearly double that should another Premier League club come sniffing around.
Chelsea reportedly showed an interest in June, according to Sky Sports, and approached Newcastle, who they were already dealing with regarding the transfer of young defender Lewis Hall.
This interest, much like Anthony Gordon's rumoured transfer to Liverpool, came about due to the Magpies' struggling to meet the league's profit and sustainability rules before the deadline that was set - June 30th.
Newcastle were able to balance their books, however, meaning they had no reason to sell their star Swede. This matter makes any transfer for Isak this summer difficult.
His extortionate fee of over £100m could put off even big spenders Chelsea, and the fact that he is still contracted to Newcastle until 2028 means the club has no reason to sell.
Should Maresca get his wish of a proven number 9, then it could elevate his side to a different level, but other targets may have to be looked at, such as Atletico Madrid's Samu Omorodion, who is favoured by the Italian coach but will be difficult to poach due to Alvaro Morata’s move to AC Milan.