Chelsea have ‘clear ideas’ of transfer targets – Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel says Chelsea have a clear idea of the players they want to bring in during the summer.

The Blues finished the season with a 2-1 win over Watford at Stamford Bridge, where Todd Boehly was again in attendance.

Head coach Tuchel is keen to bolster the squad, but the sanctions placed on owner Roman Abramovich mean the proposed takeover by a group led by Boehly must go through before Chelsea can do business.

Tuchel said: “We have clear ideas for the characteristics and profiles of these players.

“But it’s not like you put a name on the list and then you get the player. You have to convince the player. There’s normally a lot of work to do.”

Tuchel said the takeover therefore needs to be completed “as quick as possible” and that the club will need to be “fast and smart” in the transfer market in order to compete for the title with champions Manchester City and runners-up Liverpool next season.

Chelsea will certainly be looking to bring in defenders, with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leaving and captain Cesar Azpilicueta potentially on his way out as well.

Tuchel hopes to have the new additions in by the start of pre-season.

“This is the plan,” he said. “Hopefully we can do this and have everybody ready for the pre-season.

“It’s a pre-season where you have three or four weeks together and we need to be quick and fast to adapt to the qualities and personalities of these new guys.

“But first of all we need to be able to sign, be smart (about) who we sign and be on-point.”

Chelsea ended the season on a high note, with Ben Chilwell returning to action as a late substitute before Ross Barkley netted a stoppage-time winner.

Chilwell, out since November with a knee injury, was given a rapturous welcome by the home crowd.

Marcos Alonso was not in the matchday squad. Tuchel said the Spaniard has been nursing a back problem and it “made no sense” to take a risk by including him.