There are 48 days of the transfer window remaining and 22 days until Chelsea kick-off their Premier League season against Everton. Todd Boehly and Thomas Tuchel have just under seven weeks to complete any remaining business and resolve any issues they see with the Blues' squad.
Raheem Sterling has been added to the Chelsea squad on a five-year deal following a £45 million move from Manchester City, while Kalidou Koulibaly is expected to become Tuchel's second signing of the summer. The Senegal international is set to sign a four-year deal after the Blues agreed a £33.8 million fee with Napoli.
It by no means feels like Chelsea are coming to the end of their preparations. Indeed pre-season has only just begun for much of the squad. Players are building fitness but also trying to impress upon coaches their credentials for a place in the squad for a coming season or to keep themselves in prime conditions for a move that awaits.
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With a group of 31 players in the USA and the likes of N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Dujon Sterling, as well as plenty of talented youngsters, still at Cobham. Plenty of decisions are required over the futures of those on Chelsea's books. football.london looks at what Chelsea still needs to figure out before the transfer window shuts.
Reinforce defence
Speaking in Los Angeles, Tuchel made it clear what Chelsea's new priority is in the transfer market following the addition of Sterling in the forward positions. The departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen left the depth of the Blues' backline reeling, and Boehly is set to land some reinforcements.
"The priority right now is defence, it's not a secret. From there, we need to see what's possible," said Tuchel on Wednesday.
Koulibaly is set to be the first addition to the defensive ranks, but there could be as many as two more central defenders brought in. Talks are advanced in the quest to land Man City star Nathan Ake, while PSG product Prancel Kimpembe is a player Chelsea would like to sign.
With the possible departures of Cesar Azpiliueta and Marcos Alonso, the Blues may also look to add another wing-back to their squad.
Make a decision on N'Golo Kante and Jorginho
Tuchel made it clear before the end of the 2021/22 season that he did not want a repeat of the Rudiger and Christensen contract sagas that plagued press conferences. With Kante and Jorginho in the final year of their deals, that hasn't got off to the best start.
Contract talks are yet to get underway, with the Italian midfielder's agent suggesting that conversation could start in September, despite interest coming from Juventus. Kante's absence from the US tour is unlikely to have made any discussions over his future easier.
Regardless of the outcome, Chelsea must go into the season knowing whether they want to extend either of the duo's deals and be able to operate swiftly in negotiations if they decide to do so.
Loan some players
Prince Adegoke, Nathan Baxter, Lucas Bergstrom, Jamie Cumming, Ethan Wady, Sam McClelland, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Romelu Lukaku and Bryan Fiabema already make up Chelsea's loan army this summer. It's not a shortlist, but it's some way off where Chelsea usually finds themselves when September approaches.
Decisions will be required on several players from the first team and development squads, with the overall number likely to rise to the 20 or 30 players it has reached in previous seasons. However, a number of players who may usually be expected to head off to find experience away from Stamford Bridge have just a year remaining on their contracts, a position in which the Blues may be unwilling to see them depart.
Whether players who are unlikely to be part of the club's first team plans in Ross Barkley, Kenedy, Michy Batshuayi and Matt Miazga can find permanent deals elsewhere or if Chelsea are able to negotiate a loan remains to be seen.
For the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Billy Gilmour and numerous others, decisions must be made over whether they will add to the Chelsea side over the coming months or be better served to go elsewhere. Whether the players themselves are then interested in a loan must also be acknowledged with the potential for permanent deals available.
Persuade academy stars there is a route
The latter point perhaps proves no less pertinent than with Armando Broja and Levi Colwill. Whether their future is with the club this summer may indicate how successful Chelsea have been in selling a vision of progression to their young talent and how academy prospects of the future see their own path panning out.
Tuchel believes Chelsea's academy products make them special, but with competition emerging in incoming transfers, who have a place in the team must be established. The German coach said: "We have top players, and even more importantly, we have a top team. But if we bring players in, we need top quality with top character, and then you're talking about the very, very best who play this game.
"What we'll never forget is the mixture because what makes Chelsea special is the amount of academy players, and we'll never hesitate to give responsibility to them and push them. Because the mixture of it makes it special and exciting for me to be coach and part of it, and this is the way to follow."
Tuchel's plan was always to observe Broja and Colwill during pre-season before making any decision. With rampant interest in both, it may be one with more pressure than he anticipated. However, deciding on the futures of those players before the start of the season will be pivotal to ensuring smooth progress for the coming season.
Ideally, the Blues will be able to persuade both they have a future at the club. Neither necessarily expects to start every game, but if Chelsea cannot assure them of the role in the squad, they may need to prove persuasive of the benefits of another loan.
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