Chelsea have made a statement of intent for their future with key signings in the final third. Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner will both join the club ahead of next season.

The Blues suffered a transfer embargo that limited their ability to replace Eden Hazard and Diego Costa – the two keg cogs of their most recent Premier League title wins. Frank Lampard’s men are beginning to reassemble a talented squad that could compete for the crown once again.

Chelsea’s first objective will be to finish off the current term and secure Champions League football once again, being backed in the Premier League betting at odds of 4/9 to earn a top-four finish. Their case could also be aided by Manchester City’s plight, which would open up the fifth spot as a qualification place for Europe’s elite competition.

Lampard has performed admirably to keep the Blues in the hunt for the Champions League despite the loss of Hazard and operating in the 2019/20 campaign with an inexperienced squad. Tammy Abraham has risen to the challenge, while Mason Mount has also performed strongly in his debut season in the Premier League.

Their depth has been an issue as Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been either been working their way back to form or unavailable after Achilles injuries. The one signing that joined last summer after being poached in January – Christian Pulisic – has been up-and-down in his first term at Stamford Bridge, which has put pressure on Willian and Pedro to remain consistent.

The experienced forwards could be the ones to make way as part of the re-shuffle with Werner and Ziyech coming into the fold. Both have been excellent players for the Blues, but now could be the time to move on as Lampard ushers in a new era.

It promises to be an exciting time for Chelsea in their bid to regain their foothold as one of England’s powerhouses. It was certainly a statement to secure a deal for Werner ahead of champions-elect Liverpool, while Ziyech had also been linked with a number of teams across the continent. The Blues will now have an embarrassment of riches in the final third and enough to cope with the demands of four fronts of football, including both domestic cup competitions.

One of Chelsea’s issues has been providing enough support for Abraham. The 22-year-old has notched over double figures in the top flight, but the goals have dried up in 2020. Outside of him, no one has broken double figures. Boasting another striker that is capable of scoring 20 plus goals in the form of Werner will help push the Blues towards matching Liverpool’s potent front three.

Ziyech has been notorious for creating goals rather than firing them in himself, although he did find the net 16 times in the last campaign for Ajax. The Tunisian will be a vital player in aiding Abraham, Werner, Hudson-Odoi, Pulisic, and Mount in the final third, but if he can score 10 goals or more then Chelsea will be on their way to possessing a frightening frontline.

Depth behind Abraham is perhaps their only weakness as Olivier Giroud is showing signs of his age, while Michy Batshauyi has not been the answer in relief through the middle. It may have to wait with other pressing issues to address in defence. For now, Chelsea looks a formidable unit on paper for the 2020/21 season and could press for the crown sooner than people will have expected after the departure of Hazard.