The World Cup break offered a much-needed respite for Chelsea and Graham Potter after a disappointing start to the campaign. A run of defeats to top-six rivals has left the Blues eight points off Spurs in fourth place, heightening fears over Chelsea's ability to retain Champions League football in 2023.
This has already prompted calls for Chelsea to invest in the upcoming January transfer window which begins not long after the World Cup final on December 18.
There are notable areas within Potter's squad that need investment with central midfield at the top of most fans' Christmas wishlists. Whilst the attack continues to stutter again and adequate cover for Reece James has been questioned after his knee injury.
READ MORE: Four players Chelsea could sign after World Cup as Todd Boehly sets key January transfer mission
football.london takes a look at five of the possible targets that fans should keep an eye on in Qatar over the next month as the World Cup begins, including players who have been previously linked with Chelsea.
Declan Rice - Central/holding midfielder - England
Let's get the most obvious one out of the way first. The West Ham midfielder has been a known target for the club for several years after initially being released by Chelsea's academy when he was 14.
He has developed into one of the Premier League's most dominant midfield enforcers, along with cementing a regular spot in Gareth Southgate's starting lineup.
Rice is likely to feature alongside another potential target in Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham at the heart of England's setup. His current contract in east London expires in 2024, making 2023 the year he might finally return to his boyhood club.
Memphis Depay - Forward/winger - Netherlands
The 28-year-old was linked to Chelsea throughout a chaotic summer window as Barcelona's finances remained unpredictable. The Blues eventually signed one Barcelona player, but it was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Depay is reportedly likely to leave the La Liga giants in January and west London could be a possible destination for the attacker - especially with his contract expiring at the end of this season.
Depay is a very different player from the one who struggled to settle at Manchester United, offering an end product and consistent quality on the ball. A thigh injury has disrupted this season but he is still one to watch before January in Louis Van Gaal's Dutch squad.
Denzel Dumfries - Right back/wing-back - Netherlands
Sticking with the Netherlands, Denzel Dumfries was also touted as a possible right-sided option in the summer. The Inter right wing-back has impressed in Serie A and gained praise for his performances at the EURO 2021.
Finding sufficient backup for Reece James has been an overlooked part of Chelsea's recruitment in recent years and is hard to ignore given the issues Graham Potter has faced since James' knee injury in October. Dumfries would not be a cheap option but is worth a watch in Qatar.
Josko Gvardiol - Defender - Croatia
Although Chelsea spent heavily on new defenders this past window with the additions of Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana, that did not prevent links to further targets from emerging.
RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol is a player Chelsea held an interest in late in the previous window before the 20-year-old penned a new five-year-deal with the Bundesliga club. That may just be insurance for Leipzig of gaining a bigger fee for the Croatian when he does depart, with Manchester City also linked.
Gvardiol is now a regular on the international stage with his country and is likely to start alongside Dejan Lovren when they kick off their World Cup campaign against Morocco next Wednesday.
Rafael Leao – Winger/forward - Portugal
Chelsea has already got first-hand experience with the emerging prospect when the Blues faced AC Milan twice in their Champions League group last month.
Leao travels to Qatar and likely faces stiff competition with Cristiano Ronaldo, Andre Silva and Joao Felix also in Fernando Santos' squad.
Leao is set to demand somewhere close to a £100million fee to get him out of the San Siro, with Todd Boehly adding him to a number of potential attacking targets in the new year. After impressing in Serie A, this World Cup could prove to be an amazing showcase for the 23-year-old.
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