Football

Chelsea may strengthen three positions during January window if transfer ban is lifted


Chelsea could strengthen in three areas if their transfer ban is lifted in time for the January window.

FIFA banned Chelsea from signing players for two transfer windows and fined them £510,000 in February for breaching rules regarding the transfer of Under-18s.

Chelsea have protested their innocence and appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who are expected to comb through the ruling in the next few weeks.

If the Blues are cleared of wrongdoing they will be able to dip into the January transfer market.

And, according to The Athletic, there are three areas in which Frank Lampard would look to improve his first-team.

Those positions are centre-half, on the wing, and centre forward.

Chelsea have been short in the heart of defence this season with senior centre-back Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both injured.

Academy product Fikayo Tomori has impressed but his partner Kurt Zouma has not developed as hoped ever since suffering an ACL injury against Manchester United in February 2016.

On the flanks, Willian and Pedro are both in the last year of their contracts and Lampard seems to have found his successors in Callum Hudson-Odoi and Christian Pulisic.

Up front, Tammy Abraham has established himself as the side’s main striker with Michy Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud having to settle for bit-part roles from the bench.

Batshuayi has already been loaned out three times since joining Chelsea while Giroud is keen to leave Stamford Bridge if he is not given regular game time.

The Frenchman’s contract expires in June meaning he can sign a pre-contract agreement with other clubs in January, but Lampard has vowed to speak to Giroud regarding his deal.

“I had a good chat with Oli before the international break,” Lampard said earlier this month. “I always respect all the players, but particularly players of that age. I love his professionalism.

“He was bang on when he spoke to me. He was bang on with what he said when he was away with France. He shouldn’t be happy and accept not playing. That’s what good players do.

“As I said to Oli, he will get his games and be a big influence for us. At the moment, because of how Tammy is playing, there hasn’t been the minutes for him.

“I will happily sit down with Oli in January. But January is a long way away. I don’t want him to go – he’s a big part of the squad. Tammy has been producing but I will sit down with Oli because I respect him. I want him here.”



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