Amid all of the excitement surrounding the arrival of Raheem Sterling, the potential knock-on effect of the £45million put down by Todd Boehly is likely to be felt by those with question marks looming over their heads.
Hakim Ziyech is reportedly being eyed by AC Milan with a loan the most likely option this summer although no agreement has been reached yet. Timo Werner still could leave. No deal has progressed after the Blues tried to include the forward in a swap deal for Matthijs de Ligt.
Callum Hudson-Odoi has returned looking more bulked up and confident, however, you would not be wrong for feeling a sense of deja vu after we heard similar 12 months ago. Last on that list is Christian Pulisic, who is back in his home nation for the first time with his Chelsea teammates.
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Out of all the names that will catch attention stateside, the 23-year-old is likely to be the focus of much attention from national media combined with the influence of American ownership led by Boehly and Clearlake.
Reports of Pulisic's unrest surfaced throughout last season, boiling up to his Dad, Mark Pulisic, tweeting in frustration after the defeat to Everton in April - a post he quickly took down. There were reports of potential destinations but again like Werner, little has materialised.
The winger in speaking to media before Chelsea's opening pre-season game in Las Vegas gave some interesting quotes in response to questions over his relationship with Thomas Tuchel.
"Could be, I guess you’d have to ask him," was Pulisic's response to a question as to whether the German still sees him as a young player. "That’s not who I am anymore. He knows I’ve grown a lot as a player, there’s no doubt.
"I have grown a lot, that’s not how I want him to view me, I want him to view me as the player I am now. I’m just going to continue improving, which I feel I have, and showing him why I deserve to be on the field as much as I can."
Some could interpret this as a slight dig at Tuchel, a sign of frustration, maybe both. What it further demonstrates over the general confusion felt over a majority of Chelsea's current attacking options.
Sterling's arrival certainly challenges the attack of last season, an area of most concern that underperformed. Pulisic will want more opportunities, some of his loudest advocates will point to his productivity when he is afforded the chance to play, however, his wastefulness in the FA Cup final and against Leicester, two games he started in the final week of the season did not help his case.
Werner might gain more favour from supporters for his infectious personality and work rate, but his numbers simply have not justified the original price tag Chelsea paid for him in 2020. The arrival of Sterling is as much a reflection on the lack of productivity in the final third as it is a statement addition under new ownership.
Pulisic, like Werner, like Ziyech, like Hudson-Odoi, have all been stuck in a similarly frustrating cycle that has meant that the attacking answer in the past two summer windows has been searched for externally. Now that Sterling is here, something has to give which could mean some departures.
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