Chelsea should complete £122m transfer with wildcard deal that could unleash Cole Palmer

Chelsea look set to have significant funds to spend in August even if deals to sign Jorrel Hato and Xavi Simons are completed. The Blues are in talks with Ajax and RB Leipzig, respectively, to sign both players with hope being the double deal will cost less than £100million.

Well over that figure has already been used to sign Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo this summer. Since then, Chelsea acquired £88.4million by winning the Club World Cup and at least £48.5million through selling Noni Madueke to Arsenal.

Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku can help raise further funds with the expectation being the attacking duo will also depart. Djorde Petrovic meanwhile, has already sealed a permanent switch to Bournemouth for £25million.

With numerous ins and outs confirmed and formally pursued, deals sanctioned will undoubtedly stretch into double-figures. Chelsea have some financial breathing room when it comes to profit and sustainability rules with their ability to sell effectively key to that.

Continuing that trend could help in deals for Simons and Hato, with the pair’s arrival seeing depth in just about every position present, but there is perhaps one area of the pitch that Chelsea could be short. Though Enzo Maresca likes to use Reece James in midfield, a proper central midfielder is still needed.

Enzo Fernandez being at his best further forward and Romeo Lavia’s injury problems have seen Moises Caicedo tasked with a crucial role at the base of midfield which has also seen him play a significant amount of minutes.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has been linked with a move to Fulham, can cover but Chelsea are in the Champions League now and therefore perhaps need a player with experience in that competition and at the top level.

Someone like Pedri of Barcelona could be perfect at Chelsea when it comes to helping Caicedo. He could also further unleash Cole Palmer with the Blues’ talisman frequently coming deep to get the ball.

Though Maresca has urged him to continue doing that, he may not feel the need to given Pedri’s expertise when it comes moving the ball up the pitch efficiently.

The 22-year-old’s ability was on full display in Barcelona’s 2024/25 title-winning campaign which saw him make 37 appearances and contribute to nine goals.

The Spanish club’s financial issues are well-documented and though he came through their famed La Masia academy, a departure at a sensational figure cannot perhaps be ruled out.

His asking price, which is likely to be in the triple-figures, is quite clearly the biggest stumbling block with transfermarkt valuing him at £122.3million (€140m).

Chelsea have twice broken the British transfer record to sign a midfielder, though, and bringing in Pedri should absolutely see them challenge for the Premier League title going forward