Coutinho, Lewandowski and Memphis… who Chelsea boss Lampard could sign in January if transfer ban lifted
NEW Chelsea manager Frank Lampard will not be allowed to improve his squad this summer.
The Blues are banned from signing players for falling foul of Fifa laws on the signing of foreign players under-18.
But that embargo could be lifted as soon as next January - leaving the Blues free to open their cheque book.
Chelsea have some gaping holes in their squad and have never been afraid to spend big in the winter window, £50million Fernando Torres and £58m Christian Pulisic just two of the players they've bought in the first month of the year.
The 2019-20 campaign is one that's impossible to predict at Stamford Bridge.
Not only is Lampard facing his first season in a Premier League dugout, but Chelsea will be without Eden Hazard, their best player for almost a decade.
More of an emphasis will be placed on youth, another scenario that is almost entirely new in SW6, while Lampard is playing in a completely different style to Maurizio Sarri.
Several fringe players, Ross Barkley, Kenedy and Tammy Abraham among them, have impressed in pre-season and could play a big part next season.
But it's easy to see Chelsea spending big in January - whether they struggle or impress.
If Lampard labours, Chelsea will have to loosen the purse-strings to ensure they don't miss out on a place in Europe.
Should the Blues legend exceed expectations then the club hierarchy could splash out in a bid to fortify the squad for the home stretch.
Chelsea have the Hazard money burning a hole in their pocket and need at several positions.
The striker position remains Chelsea's most pressing need - with the loss of Hazard, Chelsea will need goals.
Olivier Giroud is good but his lack of pace stops him from being considered among the very best.
Michy Batshuayi would appear to be the level of a mid-table striker, with big flaws in his game, while Tammy Abraham has potential but is very raw.
There are questions on the wing and also at left-back.
Here are a handful of targets that could be at Stamford Bridge sooner rather than later...
Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
A changing of the guard is underway in Bavaria.
Ageing stars Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have both left and Robert Lewandowski, 31 next month, will need replacing one day.
The Polish striker has long been linked with a move away, almost joining Real Madrid in recent summers, and the Blues could offer him one final payday.
His physical profile is impressive, Lewandowski operates as a beefy lone striker that has the brains and the brawn to hold the attention of a defence a lone.
His goal record is simply astonishing - he has scored 202 Bundesliga goals in just 290 matches, his 0.7 goals per game record trailing only the great Gerd Muller.
One knock against him has been his lack of success in the Champions League and propensity to go missing in big games.
But Lewandowski guarantees goals.
Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
The German forward may not be available by the time Chelsea are able to buy, but still, he has to be on their radar.
Liverpool have been linked with the 23-year-old who is a lightning quick and versatile forward who has plenty of room to improve.
He's scored 62 goals in the last three seasons and also chips in with his fair share of assists - adding 21 of those in the same time.
Werner is a great dribbler, good passer and calm finisher.
He's not as big as Chelsea seem to like their strikers, but his addition could mark a change in style to mimic the rock and roll counter-attacking style of Liverpool.
Ante Rebic (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Another left-field choice who wouldn't cost nearly as much as the other names on this list.
Anyone who followed the Bundesliga this season - and Chelsea fans who saw him in the Europa League semi-final - can't help but have been impressed by the 25-year-old.
His physicality, even next to the monstrous Jovic, is eye-catching.
It's his work rate that really sees him stand out.
Rebic is a whirling dervish of activity, never giving defenders a second's rest.
His goal record doesn't stack up with his rivals on this list - ten goals last season - but if Lampard wants to build a team based on grit and determination, Rebic is perfect.
Memphis Depay (Lyon)
Don't be fooled by his miserable spell at Manchester United, Memphis is top class.
An adaptable chameleon of a forward, the Dutchman can play as a traditional striker, a left winger or in a deeper No10 role.
He has everything, pace, skill and calmness in front of goal - as well as that unteachable X-factor that sees him pull off jaw-dropping tricks and score outrageous goals.
Now 25, Memphis seemingly wants out of Lyon and Chelsea could be a perfect landing spot.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
First things first, Zinedine Zidane loves Benzema.
The French striker has won it all at the Bernabeu and scored more than 200 goals in white.
His link up play is extremely underrated and although he'll be 32 in December, he keeps himself fit and has a quick burst of pace.
This may seem unlikely... but there's one major but that could give Chelsea hope.
Luka Jovic.
Real Madrid just splashed £50million to bring the powerhouse Serbian to the club and one would expect every opportunity would be given for the 21-year-old to prove himself.
Zidane plays with only one striker, leaving Benzema as potentially one of the best impact subs in the world.
But would the Real No9 be content with that?
If Benzema isn't playing then Chelsea could pounce.
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)
Everyone on these shores knows exactly how good Coutinho can be.
He was probably Liverpool's best player before his move to the Nou Camp and capable of stunning goals and assists that few players in world football can manage.
But he's really struggled to adapt to life in Lionel Messi's shadow and there are plenty of arguments that Barcelona are a better team without him.
Has played further forward for Barca than he ever did at Anfield and that seems to have hampered his playmaking intuition.
A change of scenery would likely do him a world of good and would be a massive coup for Chelsea.
David Neres (Ajax)
The departure of Eden Hazard has blown this Chelsea team apart.
Hazard is one of the top five or ten players in the world and losing a player of that quality will be massive.
Chelsea will now rely on a quartet of wingers to fill the gaping hole left by the Belgian - but will it be enough.
Pedro and Willian will be 32 and 31 by the time the season starts and both have major flaws in their game.
Former Barcelona man Pedro is very lightweight, while Willian lacks consistency from match to match.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has bags and bags of potential but suffered a terrible injury and will miss the first half of the season.
Who knows how good he'll be on his return.
Chelsea spent big money on Christian Pulisic and while he has been tearing up the Gold Cup, leading the USA to the final with three goals and three assists in five games, the level of opposition in that competition is poor.
The 20-year-old was beaten to the Borussia Dortmund first-team by Jadon Sancho last year and was in and out of the side all season.
Should those four fail to fire, it's easy to see a situation where Chelsea want a winger.
Neres, 22, is as raw a player as you will find - but he knows where the goal is, he has pace to burn and he loves beating a man with his dribbling skills.
If the Ajax man improves his decision making and awareness he'll be one of the most dangerous forwards in the world.
Leon Bailey (Bayer Leverkusen)
As above, except Bailey has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
After failing to get a move in the summer of 2018, the Jamaican had down year, scoring only five goals as he sulked his way through the campaign.
Bar those attitude concerns, Bailey still has everything you'd want from a winger.
He's fast, can play on both flanks, a great dribbler, has an eye for goal and has dangerous set-piece delivery.
Still only 21, Bailey has plenty of room for improvement and time to mature.
Isco (Real Madrid)
Another long-term Chelsea target, the Spaniard is a classy and versatile player who is a cut above the current playmakers in the squad.
Chelsea have just splashed out around £45million on Mateo Kovacic, but there are a lot of questions surrounding the Serbian.
Was he limited by the tactics of Maurizio Sarri, or is he a fatally flawed player?
The midfielder had zero goals and just two assists last season - in a down year for Real Madrid where he started only 16 games, Isco still managed six goals and two assists.
Critics have said that Isco's stats were inflated by the ruthless brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo in previous seasons.
That is obviously true to an extent, and would be for any player in world football, but the Portuguese loved the Spaniard knowing he would deliver through-balls in the right spot at the right time.
Paulo Dybala (Juventus)
It's been a funny 12 months for the Argentine, whose career has been described as being 'at a crossroads' - and is now heavily linked with a move to Manchester United.
Dybala was once the crown prince of the Italian champions but last season failed to adapt to life next to Cristiano Ronaldo and now seems surplus to requirements in Turin.
After scoring 23 goals in 2017-18, Dybala managed just 10 for Juventus last season.
Should he snub Man Utd, Dybala may still be available for a Champions League club.
Should that be Chelsea his profile would mark a significant stylistic change at Chelsea if he ever were to arrive.
Dybala is a striker but operates like Messi, drifting in and out of the game to find space rather than as a battering ram up top.
Some adjustment would be needed but make no mistake, the 25-year-old remains one of the most lethal forwards in world football.
It would be a real coup for any team signing him.
Ben Chilwell (Leicester City)
Chelsea's need for a left-back was obvious throughout last season.
Marcos Alonso was one of the club's most important players when Antonio Conte was in charge.
But as soon as Sarri took Alonso from wing-back to a more traditional role, he suffered.
Emerson eventually beat Alonso to the role, but while the Brazil-born Italy international is dynamic in attack, he is a weak defender.
Chilwell is only 22 and has been excellent for the Foxes since becoming their first-choice.
Already an England international and regular in the squad, it won't be long before the Milton Keynes native wins the job in Gareth Southgate's side full-time.
He's athletic and strong defensively and excellent going forward - his crossing has been huge for Leicester, with Chilwell contributing four assists last season.
Alex Sandro (Juventus)
Another long-term Chelsea target, Sandro would likely cost a lot more than Chilwell, is older and has no experience of Premier League football.
But, while a move for Chilwell would be one more for the future than right now, Sandro is already established as one of the very best in the world.
The Brazilian has everything, pace, power, tricks and is a good defender in both one on one and team situations.
He'd cost a pretty penny, though, and a Chelsea would have to move on one or both of Alonso and Emerson to land him.