Football writer Alex Keble assesses each Premier League club and their prospects for the 2024/25 season.
Chelsea
Another year goes by – another manager too – and Chelsea are still seeking consistency and a return to the top. The turnover of managers and players continues and, after enjoying such a prolonged period of success, the Blues have now gone seven years without challenging for the Premier League title - or even surpassing 74 points.
Despite finishing sixth last season it wasn't their aim. Indeed, the departure of head coach Mauricio Pochettino this summer suggests it’s back to square one. The new boss Enzo Maresca, who led Leicester City to promotion from the Championship to the Premier League last season, has a big job on his hands.
Performance last season
| Position Pos | Club | Played Pl | GD | Points Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |
Spurs
TOT
|
38 | +13 | 66 |
| 6 |
Chelsea
CHE
|
38 | +14 | 63 |
| 7 |
Newcastle
NEW
|
38 | +23 | 60 |
| 8 |
Man Utd
MUN
|
38 | -1 | 60 |
FA Cup: Semi-final
EFL Cup: Runners-up
Last five seasons
| Season | League position |
|---|---|
| 2019/20 | 4th |
| 2020/21 | 4th |
| 2021/22 | 3rd |
| 2022/23 | 12th |
| 2023/24 | 6th |
Best Premier League finish
Champions: 2004/05; 2005/06; 2009/10; 2014/15; 2016/17
See: More about Chelsea's history
Season aims
Despite that late rally to a sixth-place finish last season, Chelsea have mostly spent the last two campaigns floating around in mid-table. Nevertheless, nothing short of UEFA Champions League qualification will be deemed good enough considering Chelsea’s lavish spending.
There is also the matter of style. Chelsea need direction, so it’s vital Maresca’s tactics take hold quickly - and visibly - at Stamford Bridge.
Key transfers
The main incomings so far are Fulham centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, Basel midfielder Renato Veiga, Villarreal goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen, Barcelona forward Marc Guiu and most recently, Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Perhaps the most noteworthy addition, however, is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, because it means Maresca is reunited with the linchpin of his Leicester City side from last season. It signals trust from the boardroom and, hopefully for Chelsea, quick implementation of the head coach's ideas.
Chelsea's key transfers so far
| Player | Transfer Type | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Thiago Silva |  Released |
- |
| Tosin Adarabioyo |  Transfer In |
Fulham |
| Hakim Ziyech | Transfer Out |
Galatasaray |
| Ian Maatsen | Transfer Out |
Aston Villa |
| Omari Kellyman | Transfer In |
Aston Villa |
| Marc Guiu | Transfer In |
Barcelona |
| Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall | Transfer In |
Leicester |
| Renato Veiga | Transfer In |
Basel |
| Caleb Wiley | Transfer In |
Atlanta United |
| Filip Jorgensen | Transfer In |
Villarreal |
| Pedro Neto | Transfer In |
Wolves |
See: Clubs' summer 2024 transfers
Tactics
The new head coach is pure Pep Guardiola. Using a 4-3-3 that shifts into a 3-2-5, Maresca’s meticulously-designed passing networks are drawn from his love of chess.
Here’s the problem: a lot of people find chess slow and boring. It’s an accusation that was levelled at Maresca in the early days at Leicester before results brought buy-in – and it’s plausible Chelsea supporters will be similarly impatient.
Injury report
| Player | Injury | Latest Update |
|---|---|---|
| Nicolas Jackson | - | Details |
Pre-season results and fixtures
25 July Chelsea 2-2 Wrexham Report
27 July Chelsea 1-4 Celtic Report
1 Aug Chelsea 3-0 Club America Report
3 Aug Man City 4-2 Chelsea Report
7 Aug Chelsea 1-2 Real Madrid Report
11 Aug v Inter Milan (H) Details
What the manager says
Enzo Maresca: "One of the reasons I’m here is because I’m convinced the squad is very good and full of talent. The most important thing now is we are able to create the right culture that drives us for the season. I always say the same: if you are able to improve players then you are able to improve the team. So it’s our target to try to improve all of them day by day.”
Best XI (4-3-3)
Robert Sanchez; Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall; Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Raheem Sterling
Opening PL fixtures
Kits
See: More details at Chelsea’s online store