With under one week remaining of the transfer window and 11 days until Chelsea's next fixture against Plymouth Argyle, there is some scope for the team that defeated Tottenham Hotspur to look different as we enter February.
January has seen the Blues sign 18-year-old Dylan Williams from Derby County, though his introduction is likely to be more keenly felt in the development squad, who have been without a natural left-sided wing-back.
Wing-back has of course been the position where Chelsea have been lacking with Ben Chilwell ruled out for the season and Reece James missing from Thomas Tuchel's squad for a number of weeks.
While Malang Sarr and Marcos Alonso have been the players to take up the role on the left side of defence, the month has also seen Kenedy return to the club from his loan spell with Flamengo.
The expectation was initially for the Brazilian to find another loan move but Tuchel described the 25-year-old's return as a 'huge opportunity'. However, he is not considered a solution for the Blues.
Tuchel said: “We cannot say Kenedy is the solution. He can be the solution but the situation has not changed. We have long-term injuries at wing-back and we suffered a lot.
"We suffered in midfield from Covid and injuries and now our midfielders are more or less coming back, we suffer a lot with our central defenders.
"Nothing has changed but it needs to make sense, to be possible, make sense on a high level and also in the quality, personality. We have a look into the market, nothing has changed. We have all options, also the option to say no.”
There is clearly some uncertainty around any sign of a new addition and it appears to be the Blues backline that could feel the impact most. By the time the squad return from their week off, there should be a clearer picture of who could be in Chelsea's starting XI.
Edouard Mendy is likely to still be at AFCON should Senegal progress past Cape Verde into the competition's quarter-final. The stopper will be confident of taking his side beyond that stage, too, which will see him in Cameroon until February 6 for the final or third/fourth place play-off if they can live up to their role among the favourites to win the competition. Kepa Arrizabalaga will stand guard in Chelsea's net as a result.
The break allows Tuchel's injured defenders to recover and will place Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah back in contention. With greater depth, the German coach could also be inclined to revert to his favoured back three, particularly if the Blues can land another wing-back.
Chalobah returned to training ahead of the clash with Spurs and is perhaps just ahead of his Danish teammate in the pecking order to partner Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger.
James would of course be in any strongest Chelsea side, and with the England international's return to the grass, perhaps there's hope his return is near. Tuchel has been unwilling to provide a timeframe and just maybe that is a positive sign.
If not, with the pace of Chalobah providing protection, Cesar Azpilicueta may be trusted on the right flank with a new arrival on the left. If the Blues can prise away Emerson from Lyon, who are reluctant to business. The Italy international remains Tuchel's preference for the position given his familiarity with the club.
In excess of £3million has already been offered to end Emerson's loan early with the 27-year-old believed to be open to the move, the Blues could return once more, however.
The centre of Chelsea's midfield could be any two from N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho, depending on the opposition.
Hakim Ziyech has proved an impact player throughout January, albeit his greatest success has come playing beyond a back four, but Tuchel should facilitate his preference giving recent performances. Likewise, Mason Mount's continued contributions make him an easy selection too.
Romelu Lukaku's potential up front still provides a high ceiling, and the Blues have one of their longer periods since his arrival to work out attacking patterns to integrate the Belgian's strengths.
Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi's ability to run with the ball can perhaps be utilised from the bench either in a wing-back role or closer to the forward.
Chelsea XI: Kepa; Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante, Kovacic, Emerson; Ziyech, Lukaku, Mount.
