With Chelsea expected to fall significantly short of the Premier League’s summit this season, Enzo Maresca is expected to be handsomely backed in the summer transfer window as the Blues gear up for another squad rebuild. This year, a defender and a winger are expected to be high on their list of priorities, while as usual, there will not be a very tight budget constraint.
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea are looking at a potential £99 million summer spending as they hope to sign Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams and Bournemouth centre back Dean Huijsen. The two Spaniards have had impressive campaigns for their respective clubs and moves to England’s bigger boys have been mooted for both youngsters ahead of next season.
Nico Williams has a release clause at Athletic Club amounting to £49 million, whereas Huijsen’s stands at £50 million with the Cherries, the report has added. And though the Blues are likely to sit down and negotiate the amount for their chief targets, the initial signs are that they have a willingness to spend the big bucks once more if a discounted transfer fee cannot be availed.
The perfect players for Chelsea’s rebuild
One of the main reasons why Chelsea are pursuing deals for Nico Williams and Dean Huijsen, 22 and 19, respectively, are their ages and consequent ability to commit to long-term deals at the club. The Blues have not shied away from splurging money on younger names if they have shown a willingness to buy into their long-term plans.
Williams addition to the team would be a significant upgrade over Jadon Sancho, who is simply not anywhere near the level he showed at Borussia Dortmund some years ago. The team needs somebody who can successfully take on defenders while being able to rack up numbers in the final third, so the Euro 2024 champion perfectly aligns with what they require.
He is one of the highest paid players at the San Mames, so Chelsea will need to make a very attractive offer to lure him away from his boyhood club. Having said that, the Londoners are financially secure to meet Williams’ demands, a cause that could work out better if they can permanently get rid of Joao Felix, who has made it clear he wants to stay at AC Milan beyond this season.
Huijsen has emerged as a technically brilliant defender in the Premier League this season and has gone from strength to strength in quick time under Andoni Iraola. Chelsea need a player who is good with the ball at his feet, aerially strong as well as a threat from offensive set pieces, so the Netherlands-born Spanish U21 star again is very much in line with what Maresca is looking for.
Chelsea could not ask for a better deal than having to pay a maximum of £99 million for two of the world’s best youngsters and it will be exciting to see the team in action if they both join prior to 2025/26.
