Football FanCast brings you a Chelsea transfer round-up following the close of the summer transfer window and the approach of the winter window.

Mauricio Pochettino is in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge and has been busy strengthening his midfield ranks and welcoming a swathe of promising youngsters to Stamford Bridge.

The club spent a significant portion of the window shipping off a huge number of first-team and squad players deemed surplus to requirements in Pochettino's new regime.

Who did Chelsea sign this summer?

It has been quite the summer for the Blues with a host of new faces coming through the doors over recent months - including the arrival of a new manager in Pochettino.

A vast sum of money has been spent - once again - by Todd Boehly on the back of the Blues' worst season since the conception of the Premier League as we know it today.

Indeed, the west Londoners broke the British transfer record for a player in the signing of Moises Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal believed to be worth around £115m.

But the Blues didn't stop there, splashing the cash on a raft of youngsters such as Romeo Lavia, Nicolas Jackson, and even Cole Palmer from Manchester City. The singing of the 21-year-old might've been the club's most surprising move of the summer considering the role he played in the Community Shield and UEFA Super Cup.

The biggest problem Pochettino might face this season is trying to find enough game time to give all of his new signings minutes, especially with no European football this year.

Who have Chelsea sold this summer?

While Chelsea's unfathomable spending has taken most of the headlines this summer - and for good reason - the West Londoners have also done an excellent job when it comes to selling the players that they deem as surplus to requirements.

Pochettino's new side have brought in £261m in player sales this summer, with Kai Havertz earning the club the most with his £65m move to cross-city rivals Arsenal. Mason Mount is a close second on the list, with his move to Manchester United earning the Blues a cool £55m.

Both Lewis Hall and Mateo Kovacic have also made moves to Premier League rivals in Newcastle United and Manchester City, respectively. Hall's move to the Toon is a loan move with an obligation to buy for around £35m, whereas Kovacic made the switch to the treble winners for £25m.

Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, and Edouard Mendy have all opted to join the burgeoning and unimaginably wealthy Saudi Pro League. In contrast, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Romelu Lukaku have all joined clubs in Serie A.

Interestingly, new boys Andrey Santos and Angelo have both already gone out on loan despite only joining the club this summer, signing for Nottingham Forest and Strasbourg, respectively.

So far, the only player that has been released by the club is former Monaco man Tiemoue Bakayoko, who failed to impress on loan at AC Milan last year.

Who could Chelsea sign in January?

Denzel Dumfries - Inter Milan: According to Italian outlet Calciomercato.It (via Caught Offside) Chelsea have 'been following' Inter Milan's Dutch defender Denzel Dumfries 'for some time' now and are interested in signing him.

The publication has reported that Inter would be willing to sell their talented full-back for a fee of around €40m - about £35m - and while that isn't necessarily cheap, Chelsea have shown time and time again that they are happy to spend well north of that figure on players.

However, while the price is unlikely to be much of an issue for the Blues, the interest of other Premier League sides might be the most significant barrier to sealing this deal.

According to the story, both Manchester United and Liverpool are seriously interested in Dumfries, which could lead to a bidding war between the three parties, and while Chelsea and United are both in the trenches at present, the appeal of joining a flying Liverpool side could be too great.

Keep an eye on this one, but it certainly looks like it'd be a deal worth doing for Chelsea.

Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen: According to TeamTalk, several Premier League clubs are interested in Bayer Leverkusen's exciting youngster Florian Wirtz, but Chelsea are the side 'most interested' at this stage.

The 20-year-old German has been impressing fans and pundits alike for the last couple of seasons, but he has reached a whole other level this term and has been one of his side's best players as they find themselves atop the Bundesliga table following the first nine games.

So far this season, the dynamic midfielder has scored two goals, provided four assists, won two Man of the Match awards, and maintained an average rating of 7.48 in just eight league starts, per WhoScored.

However, the most significant barrier to sealing this deal might be the price, as, with his contract set to run until 2027, Sport (via SportWitness) has reported that he would likely cost at least €85m, or about £74m.

Chelsea can certainly afford to spend that sort of cash; they have shown us that plenty of times in the last 18 months, but it would still be a heavy outlay on a player who has never played in England.

That said, it feels like a risk worth taking.

Gavi - Barcelona: Spanish outlet Sport, via Sport Witness, are reporting that Chelsea are interested in the 2022 Golden Boy winner.

The newspaper claims that Barca need a sizable sale in order to boost their economic situation and are currently deciding on an asset to sell.

The Spanish midfielder would certainly command a fee in excess of €100m (£87.1m) but the Catalan giants are said to be reluctant to lose one of their promising youngsters.

The Blues could test Barca's resolve in January, but all things considered, it seems an ambitious target and one that would likely require a club-record fee.

So perhaps take this rumour with a pinch of salt, Chelsea fans.

Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich: As reported by CaughtOffside, Bayern Munich's talented attacking midfielder is attracting interest from a whole host of top sides across the continent, including Chelsea.

The 25-cap Germany international left the West Londoners in 2019 in favour of a move to Bayern's youth setup, which appears to have paid dividends for his development.

The 20-year-old is considered one of Europe's brightest talents after netting 16 goals whilst laying on as many assists across 47 outings last season.

Bayern are keen on renewing Musiala's contract amidst several clubs circling their prized asset, however, talks have stalled due to changes at boardroom level.

Notwithstanding that, the former England youth international still has just shy of three years remaining on his deal at the Bundesliga Champions and any forthcoming transfer would require a substantial fee.

So perhaps this link should be taken with a pinch of salt, Blues fans.

Habib Diarra - Strasbourg: A report from Calciomercato (via Caught Offside) has revealed that despite sincere interest from Serie A giants Juventus in French 'wonderkid' Habib Diarra, it is Chelsea that have a 'privileged channel' to signing the player.

This advantage comes from the fact that Todd Boehly recently bought a majority stake in Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, which just so happens to be the team Diarra plays for. Away from the practicalities of the transfer, bringing the youngster to Stamford Bridge would probably be a good idea from a purely footballing perspective, as he looks to be a natural talent.

From just seven starts this year, he has already scored a goal, provided an assist and won one Man-of-the-Match award, per WhoScored.

That said, with Chelsea already possessing the youngest squad in the league and seriously struggling to find any kind of form, would adding another promising youngster really be the wisest of decisions?

Marcus Edwards - Sporting CP: Reports from Portugal (via SportsWitness) have linked Sporting CP star Marcus Edwards with several Premier League sides, including Chelsea.

The reports reveal that the Portuguese side are looking to offer him an improved deal at the moment in the hopes that it entices him to commit his future to the club. The improved deal would up his wage from £600k to £862k, but crucially, it would also raise his release clause from £52m to £69m.

Tottenham Hotspur are said to be the other interested party and currently have the right to 25% of his next transfer fee as he used to be their player, which could make it easier for them to agree to a deal.

While he wouldn't be cheap, he has proven his ability and then some since he moved to Sporting, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in just 27 league starts last season, per WhoScored.

Ivan Toney - Brentford: According to ESPN, The Bees forward is of interest to Chelsea and London rivals Arsenal ahead of the January transfer window.

Toney has served half of his eight-month ban for breaching strict FA betting rules and is due to return on 17th January 2024, so a timely exit away from the Gtech Community Stadium could be on the cards.

Whilst Brentford are reluctant to lose the 27-year-old, they are thought to be open to sanctioning a sale in the region of £80m.

The England international netted 20 Premier League goals last term in 33 outings and is widely considered to be one of the division's best strikers.

He sparked transfer speculation when he appeared on Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO podcast, where he revealed his admiration for Arsenal.

"The next club I go to, if I was to move, would be the right club. I've been a Liverpool fan my whole life... But from young, I've liked Arsenal.

"I've liked watching Arsenal and how they play and how passionate their fans are. I'm a Liverpool boy at heart," Toney said.

So it appears - should Chelsea make a January swoop - they'll need to convince the forward, with the Gunners seemingly his preferred destination.

Who could leave Chelsea in January?

Thiago Silva: The Brazillian likely won't be departing in Janaury, but according to Football Insider, an exit next summer is probable.

Silva's contract is due to expire next June and after celebrating his 39th birthday last month, Blues chiefs believe it is a good time to move him on.

The former Paris Saint-Germain defender is a big earner at Stamford Bridge and extending his deal would not align with the club's new strategy - which encourages the development of young talent.

The 113-cap Brazil international has made no secret of his desire to return to his home nation and Fluminense are thought to be the most likely suitor at this stage.

The West Londoners are confident in their current crop of centre-halves going forward, with the likes of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana, amongst others.

Ian Maatsen: According to TEAMtalk, the under-21 Netherlands international is attracting interest from Manchester City and West Ham United.

Maatsen's current contract expires next summer and the Blues are keen on extending his stay at Stamford Bridge, but the 21-year-old wants more assurances.

A pathway to becoming a regular starter is important to the former Burnley loanee and should his future not be resolved by the turn of the year, he could depart the West Londoners in favour of consistent game time elsewhere.

The Hammers were monitoring the fullback in the summer and are expected to revisit the deal in Janaury whilst the Citizens are thought to be intrigued by his attributes, which could be utilised in Pep Guardiola's unorthodox system.

Further, Barcelona are believed to be a potential suitor, having tracked the attack-minded wingback for two years, dating back to his loan spell at Coventry City.

Despite impressing in pre-season, Maatsen is yet to start a Premier League fixture this term.

Trevoh Chalobah: The Cobham academy graduate has been made surplus to requirements by Pochettino, who has not involved him in any of the matchday squads this season.

Bayern Munich were interested in the 24-year-old over the summer, but were put off by his £50m valuation, according to the Evening Standard.

The reigning Bundesliga champions, led by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel - who gave Chalobah his senior Chelsea debut - could return with a proposal in January.

How could Chelsea line up in January?

Well, Ivan Toney would most definitely come straight into the starting lineup should a deal be completed.

The Blues have faltered in front of goal this season and the England international would certainly bring goals and a much-needed presence up top.

However, the west Londoners will do well to secure his services as they'll likely be in competition with a number of other top clubs.

Musiala presents a similar issue, with competition rife for the Bayern playmaker, but if the West Londoners do manage to pull it off, he'll become a fixture of Chelsea's attack for the next decade.

Signing Barca's Gavi would be a real coup for the Blues and he'd certainly come straight into Pochettino's XI, but again, they'll be in a long queue of potential suitors and it appears unlikely the Spanish giants will be open to a sale, despite their reported financial instabilities.

And after Chelsea outlaid the best part of £173m on midfielders Moisés Caicedo and Roméo Lavia in the summer, a deal of that magnitude doesn't appear feasible, anyhow.

Potential Chelsea XI: Sánchez; James, Disasi, Thiago Silva, Colwill; Caicedo, Fernández; Palmer, Musiala, Sterling; Toney.