This season was one of progress for Chelsea, at least in the mind of Thomas Tuchel. "It has, in general, been a big step in the general direction in terms of consistency for us. If you look at the last year, we have only been in the top three, this is very good," the Blues head coach said after the final game of the season against Watford on Sunday.
"But there is always room for improvement. The level of consistency from Man City and Liverpool was too much for us, it was too high. It will not get easier to close this gap because while we are forced to be passive [in the transfer market], they are improving their squads. But this is the challenge, and we need to be fast and smart when it's possible to have a competitive team."
This summer is a big one for Chelsea. The club will be under new ownership for the first time in 19 years, and there is much work to be done in the transfer market to give Tuchel a squad capable of taking another step forward next season. For now, though, the club is in limbo.
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Until the moment Roman Abramovich is no longer owner, all Chelsea can do is wait. No new contracts can be signed off. No transfers, in or out, can be done. No merchandise can be sold in the megastore. Everything is dependent on the consortium led by U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly completing their takeover.
What Tuchel can do, however, is plan and prepare for the summer ahead. And here are three things likely to be on the Chelsea head coach's to-do list.
Prepare for the rebuild
What this season has proved, rather disappointingly, is the Chelsea squad is not able to keep pace with Man City and Liverpool in the race to win the Premier League title. So big changes are required once the takeover is completed – and they'll have to be made swiftly.
"At the moment, we have a huge disadvantage – but that's not decisive yet," Tuchel said. "There is no need to make excuses, it is just the situation we are in, and we have to be as quick as possible. Right now, of course, it's unsatisfying because our hands are tied, and we cannot act as we want.
"We have clear ideas for the profiles and characteristics of these players. But it's not like we put a name on the list, and then we get the player. We have to convince the player, speak to their clubs, and convince ourselves this is the player [we need]. So there is normally a lot of work, and it will be the same to be competitive next season."
Chelsea are unable to make any signings until the club is sold – although Tuchel has already revealed that targets have been identified. But with no imminent movement on incomings, the Blues head coach can focus on outgoings. And there may be a fair few in order to complete an overhaul of the squad.
Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen will depart on free transfers when their contracts expire next month. Meanwhile, both Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso have offers on the table from Barcelona. It will be down to Tuchel as to whether either is allowed to depart.
Jorginho's future is uncertain amid interest from Juventus; that he only has one year left on his contract will force Chelsea into a decision. N'Golo Kante is in the same situation with his deal expiring in 2023, but Tuchel is unlikely to sanction a departure for the Frenchman who he believes is as important to the Blues as Kylian Mbappe is to PSG.
Then comes the forward line, which has underperformed as a collective this term. Tuchel must decide who to persist with and who will be allowed to move on; the futures of Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziecyh and Romelu Lukaku are all very much uncertain heading into the transfer window.
Evaluate the returning loanees
For more than 15 years, Abramovich opted to invest heavily in the club's academy. And that decision has more than paid off with a plethora of talent produced. So the easiest – and most cost-effective – way Tuchel can refresh the Chelsea squad this summer is by incorporating players who spent the 2021/22 campaign away from Stamford Bridge on loan.
Levi Colwill has shone on loan at Huddersfield Town, and the 19-year-old appears to be the ideal fit on the left of a back three, given his on-the-ball ability, maturity, and physical prowess. Dujon Sterling and Ian Maatsen, meanwhile, have also stood out in the Championship while on loan at Blackpool and Coventry City. Could they provide the wing-back cover needed?
Conor Gallagher is expected to be brought into the first-team fold this summer, with Tuchel impressed by the impact the midfielder made while on loan at Crystal Palace. The 22-year-old's drive and energy would give the Blues something they've lacked at points this term.
Billy Gilmour is an interesting case as the Scotland international has already played under Tuchel and showcased that he can handle himself in the first team. However, he will return to Chelsea this summer following a frustrating season on loan at Norwich City, and a call will need to be made as to whether he heads out again to kickstart his development.
Then there is Armando Broja, who impressed during the first half of the campaign with Southampton but struggled in the second. There is interest from clubs across Europa in the Albanian international, and Tuchel will have to make a decision in pre-season as to whether Broja is brought into his squad or if he departs once more.
Find time to relax
As discussed, this summer is going to be a busy one for Chelsea, and Tuchel admitted after the victory over Watford on Sunday that he is not immediately heading away for a well-earned break. "It's impossible. I cannot go on holiday, no," the 48-year-old said. "There are too many things to clarify and give an opinion.
"Nowadays, of course, we can have meetings over Zoom, so it's not necessary to do everything in person, and the first days I will be around anyway because my children are in school. So there will be a bit of a delay to the holidays. But it's normal in a situation like ours that you stay in contact you have the possibility with Zoom and Facetime to have calls, share opinions, and move forward because we need to."
The 2021/22 campaign proved a gruelling one for Chelsea and Tuchel. Sixty-three matches were played across all competitions – and six went to extra time, a club record. There were long-term injuries to contend with, a Covid outbreak in December to muddle through, and off-field issues aplenty with the Blues put up for sale and operating under sanctions from March onwards.
Through it all, Tuchel cut an impressive figure. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville even went as far as to claim the Chelsea head coach had been "statesman-like" during the period in which he was being asked difficult questions about Abramovich and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The mental load Tuchel has had to contend with during his first full season at Stamford Bridge has been heavy. It's why he must find time to relax, recover and refresh over the next five weeks, even if the odd Zoom call has to be missed. Chelsea need the German ready for the 2022/23 campaign as the challenge to hunt down Man City and Liverpool in the Premier League is only going to get harder.
