Chelsea are now considering a marquee transfer double deal to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad ahead of 2026, according to reports.
Chelsea tipped as Premier League title contenders ahead of Arsenal
On the pitch, their Premier League title credentials are set for a stern evaluation as they prepare for a blockbuster face-off against frontrunners Arsenal this weekend.
Sunday’s heavyweight clash between the London rivals at Stamford Bridge will provide the clearest indication yet of whether Maresca’s youthful side genuinely belong in the conversation, or if they still remain a year away from challenging for football’s ultimate prize.
The debate surrounding Chelsea’s title credentials has intensified following their impressive recent run, with Maresca himself refusing to rule out the possibility, in stark contrast to last year.
“It’s too early in any case if we win or don’t win [against Arsenal],” said Maresca in his pre-match press conference.
“It’s November, there’s five or six months to go. It’s important where we are [in the table] in February and March and we’ll see if we can achieve something important.”
Tuesday’s 3-0 dismantling of Barcelona in the Champions League demonstrated their ability to deliver against Europe’s elite even without superstar Cole Palmer, with Estevao taking all the headlines after his masterclass against the Catalans.
Luckily for Maresca, Palmer is back to full fitness and available to play Arsenal, with Maresca handed the desired conundrum of fitting both the England international and Estevao into the same team.
Chelsea’s boss has grown adept when it comes to tinkering with his side, having made more first eleven changes than any other manager in the Premier League by far this season.
However, they could hardly ask for a tougher test on paper than Arsenal, who are currently 16 games unbeaten in all competitions and fresh off a statement Champions League performance themselves.
Chelsea have already signed “the next Cristiano Ronaldo” for half of his release clause
He could be their next Estevao-esque talent.
Mikel Arteta’s side have established themselves as the benchmark to beat, and their unbeaten seven-game run against Chelsea will gift the Gunners major confidence heading into their west London tie.
Off the field, BlueCo are devising yet more plans to strengthen the Chelsea squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £300 million in the summer.
Chelsea considering £120m double deal for FC Porto’s Aghehowa and Froholdt
As per reports from Spain, Chelsea are considering an ambitious £120 million deal for two talented FC Porto players, with Victor Froholdt and Samu Aghehowa emerging as top targets.
Froholdt, a 19-year-old midfielder, has captured Chelsea’s attention through his exceptional composure in possession from deep positions. The west Londoners are apparently fans of the teenager’s technical ability, and believe he could slot in seamlessly alongside Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo.
Meanwhile, Aghehowa also appeals to Chelsea’s recruitment team after his stellar 2025.
The 21-year-old striker has established himself as a consistent goalscorer in Portugal, bagging 27 goals in 45 games last term, and has continued that fine form by hitting double figures this season.
Aghehowa is a familiar name to Chelsea, having once come close to signing the Spain international back in 2024.
“Chelsea [came] very close to signing him a couple of transfer windows ago before the player decided to stay,” journalist Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider recently.
“Then Newcastle had him on their list in the summer window as they looked at potential replacements for Alexander Isak before signing Nick Woltemade.
“So I think he’s a top young player, 21 years old, Spain international. It’s no surprise that Tottenham and all these other big clubs in the Premier League are looking at him.
“He’s a player with huge potential and could really develop into one of the best strikers in Europe, if he continues his rise.”
Both players align with their transfer strategy when it comes to recruiting world football’s most exciting young talents, but the competition for Aghehowa’s signature alone means this won’t be easy by any means.
