Transfer Centre

Mauricio Pochettino 'wants Chelsea to make three January signings'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 11 December 2023

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly keen for Chelsea to make as many as three signings during the January transfer window.

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly keen to strengthen in three positions during the January transfer window.

While the Blues have impressed on occasions since the Argentine's arrival, they currently sit in 12th position in the Premier League standings.

Sunday's 2-0 defeat at Everton was a third loss in four matches - the others coming to rivals Newcastle United and Manchester United - and it has left Chelsea 11 points adrift of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

After the match at Goodison Park, Pochettino hinted that more fresh faces could arrive at the midway point of the campaign, despite Chelsea having already spent in excess of £1bn across three transfer windows.

The club's net spend during that period is allegedly in the region of £700m, highlighting that cutbacks will have to be made in the short term particularly when revenue is being lost through no European football.

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino during game with Tottenham Hotspur on November 6, 2023. © Reuters

Nevertheless, according to the Evening Standard, Pochettino would like Chelsea to target three new players when business reopens in three weeks time.

Pochettino is said to be keen on acquiring a new centre-back, central midfielder and forward in a bid to improve the squad's issues at both ends of the pitch.

Although Chelsea have scored 26 goals in 16 games in the Premier League during 2023-24, it is only the ninth-best return in the division, while Nicolas Jackson has performed indifferently since arriving from Villarreal.

With Armando Broja still working his way back up to full fitness after a serious knee injury and Christopher Nkunku yet to feature due to a knee issue of his own, the attack has lacked a ruthless streak.

Chelsea players look dejected after Ethan Pinnock scores their first goal on October 28, 2023 © Reuters

Chelsea's bigger issues come at the back where they have conceded the same amount of goals that they have scored, the last of their three clean sheets coming nine matches ago.

The report claims that Pochettino has concerns about the team's lack of height, a situation that has only been helped by Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill being used at full-back rather than in the centre.

Aside from the backline, where regular starter Thiago Silva is also short in terms of a defender, only Lesley Ugochukwu offers any notable physicality in midfield.

If Chelsea are to raise funds during January, it is plausible that the likes of Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen and Noni Madueke are made available for transfer.