Following Chelsea’s victory in the Europa League final against Benfica departing manager Rafael Benitez believes the Blues will come back stronger next season and revealed the transfer budget.
Benitez told Spanish radio station Onda Cero:
“What I am sure about is that next season Chelsea will be much better because they will spend £100m and they will sign three or four players.”
He refused to admit that he knows anything about who the next manager will be but perhaps there’s a slight hint towards Jose Mourinho in there.
“The foundation is already there. The future is bright for them.
“I don’t know who the next coach will be, I am not the one who should say (who it will be) even though everyone speculates the same person.”
Chelsea aren’t far off from being title challengers and with three or four additions, as Benitez suggests, any manager should really be getting us to compete for the Premier League title next season.
There’s a few key positions that need to be filled and I think a central midfielder and forward will be the priority whilst another central defender may also be useful.
With Radamel Falcao bound for AS Monaco we will need to look elsewhere in terms of finding a striker and the likes of Edinson Cavani and Robert Lewandowski represent far better value than the likes of Wayne Rooney.
In midfield, I’d love it if we signed Joao Moutinho as I believe he’s one of the best all-round midfielders in Europe but there are plenty of decent options out there (not Fellaini). I don’t think there’s a whole lot Dortmund will be able to do to prevent being dismantled in the summer, similarly to Jose Mourinho’s old Porto side, and the likes of Ilkay Gundogan has really impressed me this season so should be on our radar.
As for sorting out other positions, it looks as though Andre Schurrle will sign despite the delay and there’s been links to Schalke’s Kyriakos Papadopoulos, who is a good young prospect even if I would prefer his team mate Benedikt Höwedes.
Where would you like to see the money spent?
Source: Daily Mail