The 2025/26 Premier League campaign kicks off this week, and the jury is out on how far Chelsea can go this season.
The Blues have invested heavily in their attack, as they look to got front foot forward against their rivals, but they could still be one or two signings away from a title tilt.
Enzo Maresca’s team are coming off the back of an incredibly successful 2024/25 season, where they qualified for the UEFA Champions League, won the UEFA Conference League and claimed the FIFA Club World Cup crown
Given their success last season, coupled with those reinforcements, it’s easy to see why some fans and experts believe the club are ready to take the next step and challenge for the main trophy.
The Blues have looked in impressive in preseason friendlies, but Micah Richards believes they still need to sign a centre-back, to really put the fear into their rivals.
Chelsea have been heavily linked with signing central defenders this summer, but are yet to take a step in that direction so far.
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Micah Richards tells Chelsea to sign a centre back
Maresca has played down talks of a possible challenge this season, but it’s hard not to be optimistic about their chances, given their form in preseason.
Richards believes just one more new face could tip the balance in the final weeks of the transfer window.
“Chelsea are a good team. Challenging for the title? I just think defensively, they’ve got so many attacking players that at times they do overcommit, leave themselves exposed,” he told the The Rest is Football podcast.
“If they bring in a top centre-half, I think they can challenge until the last five games of the season.”
As part of defensive changes, the Blues have signed Jorrel Hato from Ajax, and the Dutchman has the potential to grow into an instant star.
If Hato steps up, he could help the team mount a serious title challenge, and prove Richards wrong.
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