Welcome to Part Two of how Chelsea could look in 2023/24 with plenty of transfer rumours swirling about who may be walking through the Cobham doors this summer.
Part One (which you can view here) was how Chelsea could look in a back four formation and Part Two will be looking at how Chelsea could set up in a back three, something the team have done under recent managers Thomas Tuchel and at times Graham Potter, who was dismissed as manager on Sunday.
The likes of Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique have been touted as potential names to replace Potter, but away from the managerial talk, here’s how the Blues could set up via three at the back.
This time, we’ll start from the bottom.
In the interest of mixing things up, Mike Maignan of AC Milan could be a really solid option for the Blues at goalkeeper. The futures of both Kepa and Edouard Mendy remain uncertain and Maignan’s performances for AC this season have been outstanding.
The likes of Robert Sanchez and David Raya have been mentioned as possible names for the Blues, but with Potter now out of the door, attention could be turned to a high-level calibre keeper in Maignan.
In defence, the two youngsters in Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana remain from Part One, but this time, they are joined by Levi Colwill.
Colwill is extremely highly regarded by those at Chelsea, with the Blues having to fight tooth and nail for Brighton to take him just on loan during the summer when agreeing on a deal to sign Marc Cucurella and it looks ever more likely that the 20-year old will be back at Stamford Bridge next season.
A left-footed defender, Colwill is probably the most highly anticipated defender to come through from the Chelsea academy since John Terry and with Brighton this season, Colwill hasn’t looked a hair out of place when given minutes.
Contracted to Chelsea until this summer, don’t be surprised to see the club try to extend Colwill’s deal at the club by six or seven years, a tactic Todd Boehly used in abundance for the signings he made last summer.
Like Badiashile and Fofana, Ben Chilwell and Reece James maintain their place in the Chelsea defence, their performances at wingback over the past couple of seasons verging on world class, as they demonstrated most notably during the 2020/21 season where they went on to win the Champions League under Tuchel.
Fernandez is also a mainstay – if anyone replaces our record signing, questions need to be asked.
Alongside him is Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian continues to demonstrate his amazing work rate press-beating abilities and it’s no surprise Manchester City registered interest in him with the potential departures of Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva at the Etihad.
The Croatian, who has formed a solid partnership with Fernandez in the past couple of months, has also captained the Blues in the absence of Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva which could suggest that he is seen as a trusted senior figure at the club – with his contract expiring in 2024, the role that Kovacic has played in the side of late may tempt him into extending his time in London.
As we know, Christopher Nkunku is set to join Chelsea in the summer from RB Leipzig and with the upcoming name who has been placed at striker, the Frenchman has been shifted to the right wing, a position he has experience playing in during his time in Germany.
On the left, Mykhailo Mudryk remains – he may have frustrated Chelsea fans with the glorious chance he missed at 1-0 against Aston Villa on Saturday, but overarching context must be taken into consideration. At 21 and having not played a minute of football since November when he arrived in England in January, he must be given time to settle and a preseason should help him in that regard.
Upfront is Dusan Vlahovic. The Blues’ need for an out-and-out number is no secret and with Nkunku unlikely to offer that focal point that a traditional striker normally would, Vlahovic could be the missing piece of the jigsaw.
David Ornstein confirmed Chelsea’s interest in the Serbian back in January, along with Victor Osimhen, but with the Nigerian likely to command a seriously inflated fee, Vlahovic could be a good alternative option.
A physical ball carrier, Vlahovic could be the man Chelsea fans have been craving since their last consistent striker in Diego Costa.
The 23-year old has 11 goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for Juventus this season, with the Old Lady fighting desperately for a Champions League spot after their 15-point deduction in January.
Vlahovic has also impressed on the international stage, being 4th in the list of most goals scored (13) for their nation among players born in 2000 or later.
So there we have it – could three at the back be a viable option for the Blues going forward? The current Chelsea players certainly have experience playing in that formation so don’t be surprised to see it deployed next season.