We are all fully aware now of the situation we are in this summer with our defenders. To recap, we could end up losing four senior defenders from our first team and in fact, it’s looking more likely by the day that we will be.

So obviously, replacing defenders this summer is bound to be the priority for Thomas Tuchel and the club. But there is arguably just as an important a position to sign in this summer after we have sorted the defence, and it’s so important that Tuchel and the new owners turn to it, and that is to add a true defensive midfielder to the squad.

A player who will purely sit, has the athleticism, ability on the ball, tough tackler, and able to snuff out danger and protect the back line.

Chelsea don’t currently have a player such as this in their squad, but most of the top teams in the world do. We need what they call a ‘destroyer’ holding midfielder, and we must be looking at that as a priority.

Chelsea and Tuchel clearly agree and know this, just look at all the true defensive midfielders we have been linked to over the last couple of months. I believe it is a position we will look to sign in, but naturally and importantly, they need to and want to rebuild the defence first.

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill helped his loan club Huddersfield get to the Championship playoff finals last night, and he was once again pinnacle to the performance and result.

The 19-year-old has continued to prove his worth this season and a couple of fans I’ve spoken to believe that he is mirroring Reece James’ loan season with Wigan when he really pushed on and made a name for himself. Colwill is most certainly doing the same this season.

The summer is pinnacle for him now though and there will be some crucial decisions being made. James came back to Chelsea under a transfer ban, Colwill might have to fight against some shiny new signings. It’s so important that Chelsea get this decsion right for his development and his future because make no mistake, this lad is going to the top.

If Huddersfiled get promoted to the Premier League, perhaps another loan back there for Colwill will be a wise move, especially if Chelsea go and sign a few new defenders to replace the ones who are leaving this summer.

The bottom line is Colwill needs to continue playing regular football now so he can really push on, and if he can have that guaranteed at Chelsea then perfect, I am all for that, he is completely ready for Premier League football. But if he isn’t going to get that then he must go on a loan in a top European division, preferably the Premier League.

Chelsea must not mess this one up and must make a path for him into regular first team football at the club, whether that is this summer or next. Colwill is the real deal.

Just as the chant goes, “he knows exactly what we need” in reference to our head coach Thomas Tuchel, and in his latest press conference today, he has described ‘exactly what we need ‘ this summer.

It’s been clear for some time that this Chelsea squad is in need of a rebuild. Many players have either outstayed their welcome, have proven not to be good enough, or have just become deadwood at the club, and we know quite a few of them will be leaving, or at least asking to leave this summer.

Tuchel knows this and that is so clear from his latest comments on the up-and-coming summer transfer window, which you can find below.

“We are not improving the squad, we are rebuilding the squad. That is always challenging. But we are up for the challenge. What I can promise – if I can promise – that I will be here with positive energy.”

– Thomas Tuchel on the summer and next season

— Simon Phillips (@siphillipssport) May 18, 2022

The truth is though, we need to do both, improve the squad AND rebuild it, and we can do both. I think the rebuild comments are more aimed at our defence, where are definitely losing two players this season and possibly even at least two more. So, our defence will need a rebuild for sure.

The rest of the squad needs improvements added to it, and some of the returning loanees will certainly do that, but we might need to replace further players in the squad as well.

Personally, if it was me, I’d be asking the whole squad to be absolutely truthful and answer whether they truly want to be playing for Chelsea or not next season and beyond, and if any of them said no, then kindly let them depart and replace them with players who DO want to be at this club.