Victor Osimhen signs and £114.5m splurged to shore up the back – Chelsea's dream line up

Chelsea will be looking to compete for silverware across all competitions when their new campaign gets underway next month. The west London giants made huge improvements on the pitch towards the end of last season but then decided to part company with manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The Blues have since lured Enzo Maresca to Stamford Bridge after the Italian left Leicester to take over in the capital.

And the new boss will be busy trying to get transfers over the line before the transfer window closes at the end of August, although he could be forced to sell players as well to ensure his club stay within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.

Chelsea more than doubled their goal tally in the Premier League last season as their litter of talented attacking players finally sparkled in the final third.

But Maresca could be confident of matching the output of the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool if they can find an out-and-out goalscorer who can bang in the goals.

Step forward Victor Osimhen, who fired Napoli to the Serie A title during the 2022-23 season after netting 15 goals in 25 league outings. The Nigeria international is said to have a £110.8million release clause in his contract but, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Napoli could lower their demands for the ace and accept an offer of £84.6m.

Osimhen could be supported in attack by current stars Christopher Nkunku and Cole Palmer, with the Englishman becoming a world-beater during his maiden campaign in London after contributing 27 goals and 15 assists in all competitions.

Mega-money signings Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo will be tasked with holding things together in the middle of the pitch after showing glimpses of their prodigious talents last time around.

And new signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be desperate to force his way into Maresca’s starting team after following his manager from Leicester to London over the summer.

Further back, Chelsea will be aiming to shore things up and make themselves difficult to break down. Djordje Petrovic usurped Robert Sanchez between the sticks last season but could see himself out of the team if Maresca gets his hands on Porto keeper Diogo Costa.

The president of the National Agents’ Association Artur Fernandes recently told Jornal de Notícias the shot-stopper is now worth £63.5m due to his heroics at Euro 2024, where he saved all three Slovenia penalties in a last-16 shootout.

And the Portugal star could be protected by Brazilian centre-back Murillo at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues tipped to sign the Nottingham Forest player for just shy of £51m in the coming weeks. Murillo could partner Wesley Fofana in the centre, with Levi Colwill moving out to left-back. And Reece James could line-up on the right.

Dream Chelsea XI: Costa; James, Murillo, Fofana, Colwill; Fernandez, Caicedo, Dewsbury-Hall; Palmer, Nkunku, Osimhen