Many clubs in world football have enjoyed their past 12 months, but none so like Chelsea.
The Blues lifted their second UEFA Champions League trophy last season, the UEFA Super Cup and were reunited with one of their most prized assets in Romelu Lukaku.
Everything seems to be going well for the Londoners, but continuity is one of the most important fundamentals of football.
With Chelsea currently one of the best clubs around, the question still remains how they maintain their success and avoid another downfall, like what has happened to just about every Blues manager before Thomas Tuchel.
The German has nurtured the perfect balance between youth and experience, and although the Blues need to add to their already-established squad, it could just be minor tweaks needed to remain a household name in Europe.
Here, we take a look at how Chelsea could line up in the 2022/23 season.
Goalkeeper – Edouard Mendy
In Chelsea's favour, Edouard Mendy has shown no signs of wanting out, in fact, a new contract is something that should have been on the table by now. Mendy was voted as the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and has been a revelation since joining the club from Rennes.
Central Defence – Trevor Chalobah, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde
Tuchel has shown that he is always willing to make a brave decision or two, and with a lot of changes expected in Chelsea's backline next season, we could see somewhat of a new-look three-man pairing. Cesar Azpilicueta has been one of the Blues' most consistent performers, but it’s getting increasingly harder to ignore the growth, development and maturity of Trevor Chalobah. He also has age on his side and can form part of a long-term relationship with his fellow defenders.
Very few can anchor the heart of the backline like Andreas Christensen, and with the Dane settling on a new and improved contract, he could become even more of a mainstay in Tuchel's side. With Antonio Rudiger’s contract issues raising a cause for concern, Sevilla's Jules Kounde could be on the market again after Chelsea missed out on the Frenchman's signature. Kounde has shown that he can play either side of a back three and would fit in perfectly into the Blues' system.
Wing-backs – Reece James and Marcos Alonso
Azpilicueta has done an excellent job in keeping the right wing back spot warm, but it’s no secret that Reece James is seen as the long-term successor of the Chelsea captain. Across the pitch, Marcos Alonso might be the best in the world at what he does and has mastered the wing-back role to perfection.
Central Midfield - N'Golo Kante and Jorginho
Along with the goalkeeping position, this is one area of the pitch that seems nailed on. Jorginho is the current holder of the UEFA Men's Player of the Year trophy after winning the UEFA Super Cup and Champions League, while also playing an instrumental role in Italy's success in the Euros. Like Jorginho, N'Golo Kante needs no introduction and is arguably the better of the two midfielders. When fit and available, Kante doesn't sit on any bench in world football, so he certainly wouldn't at Chelsea next season.
Attacking Midfielders – Mason Mount and Christopher Nkunku
Labelled as a teacher's pet a while back, Mason Mount has proven that he's in the team on merit and it’s fair to say that the Blues academy graduate has been Chelsea's best attacking midfielder since making his debut under Frank Lampard.
A name that may surprise many is Christopher Nkunku. The 23-year-old Frenchman has worked under Tuchel at Paris Saint-Germain and has reportedly been linked with a move to Chelsea. Currently at Leipzig, Nkunku would have very little trouble fitting into the fold, where he is used to a similar system to that of Tuchel's.
Forward – Romelu Lukaku
Brought back into the club for a record fee, Lukaku is here for one reason only – to score goals aplenty. Anything else would just be a bonus. It’s clear that Tuchel is building his attack around the Belgian powerhouse, and he'd need pacey and intelligent players around him – like Mount and Nkunku.
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