Following the breaking news that came out this morning surrounding Michy Batshuayi’s impending Chelsea transfer, it finally looks like the Blues will start their summer spending.

With the £33m striker seemingly already in the bag, and with the rest of the summer still to come, it appears likely that Chelsea will kick on from this point and bring in a few new faces to their ailing squad.

Whilst rumours of a few players heading to London have persisted throughout the summer so far, some transfers are definitely more likely than others; so it is time to separate the fact from the fiction.

Here are FIVE stars that could follow Michuy Batayushi to Chelsea...

Radja Nainggolan

nainggolan

The first in a trio of Chelsea midfield targets.

This one has been rumbling on for weeks and certainly is showing no signs of stopping.

After the deal looked set to be completed several weeks ago, it turned out that AS Roma were holding out for more cash, with the word now that the club are holding out for around £35m.

Whilst Chelsea are rumoured to be taking a step back after being quoted such a high fee, it is clear that their interest is concrete; and so we would not be surprised to see the club go back in one last time for the midfielder.

A hugely talented ball-winning midfielder, the Belgian would fit in perfectly at Chelsea if he finally gets his move.

If Chelsea are unsuccessful, however, they might just go after at least one of the following two targets...

Axel Witsel

witsel1

A recent target for the club, the Daily Mail first reported yesterday morning that Chelsea were interested in Witsel after growing tired of the chase for Radja Nainggolan.

Witsel is a slightly different player to his Belgian compatriot, offering more composure and calmness on the ball; but he certainly retains the same many of the same qualities as 'The Ninja' given they're in competition for a spot in the Belgian first-team.

Chelsea are lacking a composed central, defensive midfielder, and Witsel certainly fits that mould.

N'Golo Kante

N'Golo Kante

A player of equal quality, and another star that Chelsea fans could potentially expect to see at Stamford Bridge this summer is N’Golo Kante.

He will of course be more familiar to Chelsea fans given his exploits last season, where he became a key figure in the spine of a Leicester side that won the Premier League against all odds.

He is perhaps the most attractive of the trio, given that he has proven himself in the Premier League, and has the experience of winning the title in England.

Offering very similar qualities to the other midfield targets, his composure and tackling ability are two of his most attractive traits.

With Chelsea’s midfield in tatters last season, and with one or two midfielders expected to leave the club this summer, Chelsea fans should expect at least one or two of these players to join the club.

Their targets are not just limited to their midfield, however...

[ad_pod id='chelsea-players' align='center']

Leonardo Bonucci

bonucci

Another name that has been linked with the club constantly since Antonio Conte’s arrival is Italian stalwart Leonardo Bonucci.

Conte of course knows him well from his time in charge at Juventus, whilst he has also gone on to become a part of the defensive spine in the Italian national side under his tutelage.

Chelsea are certainly in the market for a defender, and Bonucci has proven his quality over the last few years. The main stumbling block will almost certainly be the transfer fee, but with Chelsea likely to sell a number of players this summer, the funds are definitely available.

This one could drag on until the end of the transfer window.

[ad_pod id='chelsea-players' align='center']

Emanuel Mammana

A relatively unknown name in England, Emanuel Mammana is a centre-back and product of the River Plate youth system, currentlying plying his trade with their first-team.

An Argentine U-20 international, the centre-back has performed very well since making the step up to the River Plate first-team, and has attracted attention from across Europe.

talkSPORT are reporting that Conte has been tracking the player since his time with Juventus, so it is clear that Chelsea’s new manager is very keen on the youngster.

If the deal for Bonucci doesn’t work out, Mammana could be next in line for a Chelsea swoop.

[ad_pod id='chelsea-players' align='center']