Chelsea have been handed a major transfer boost heading into 2023 as a second of their main targets stalls over signing a new contract at their current club. Todd Boehly has been extremely active in the market to ensure the Blues get a run on potential new players, making up for lost time over the summer.
By the time Boehly was in place as the new co-owner in May, Antonio Rudiger had already agreed to join Real Madrid and key talks with Aurelien Tchouameni, Erling Haaland, Matthijs de Ligt and Robert Lewandowski had already happened. Had things been different, the new regime may have been able to do earlier and more organised work.
That isn't the be all and end all of successful deals though, the young stars signed may turn out to be some of the best business of the bunch, but being on top of the game earlier is an advantage that Chelsea haven't had for a while. They are used to reacting to the market state whilst rivals are seeing three moves ahead.
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The same certainly can't be said for 2023. The proactive nature far from cements anything, but it gives them an almighty advantage on where they were just over 12 months ago. In this sense, preliminary checks and decisions will have already been made over a strategy for January and summer of next year.
With contract situations and the forces of transfers set to dominate heavily over the next six months, being in position to pounce will be key, and Chelsea have found themselves in just that position. Last summer they pushed tentatively for a move for AC Milan winger Rafael Leao. The 23-year-old is one of the most menacing attackers in his division and has shown his talents on the Champions League and World Cup stage this season already.
The Portuguese forward is one of a group of high calibre players making their club sweat though. With a contract ending in 2024, the longer he runs down the timer, the more confident Chelsea can be in their approach. Although Leao has a huge £127m release clause, should he get to the summer without committing his future to Milan, the ball will be firmly in Chelsea's court.
There is still time for the winger to decide upon where he sees himself playing, but given Chelsea's interest in him, their financial backing and their already clear attempts to sign him, Boehly is effectively breathing down the backs of their necks, waiting to swoop Leao up. And as we get close to there being just 18-months left on his deal - at six months he can negotiate a free move away - Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg reports that he is continuing to hesitate over a new deal.
With Manchester City and Real Madrid also aware of his situation there is plenty to ponder for the Italian champions, but Chelsea's diligence and proactive work this year may give them an upper hand when it comes to making a new offer.
This deal is also similar to their pursuit of Declan Rice. The West Ham captain is also out of contract in 2024 and is refusing to sign an extension, leaving his current club in a predicament. They have the choice to try and further convince him to remain at West Ham, or face the chance of losing him for a cut-price, or even for free.
Chelsea have been big admirers of Rice for a while and see him as the future of their team, much like Leao he is also his side's most important and star player, and the work done in previous talks to get Rice could see Chelsea skip to the front of the lengthy queue waiting to prize him away.
The Blues themselves are in a similar boat with Mason Mount, but he is more likely to remain at Stamford Bridge. But with experience of the pitfalls of allowing contracts to run down, Chelsea can be inversely confident of making the most of these upcoming opportunities too.
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