It's almost time for Chelsea to buy some more footballers, folks.
Mauricio Pochettino's side have not made the sort of progress fans would have hoped for during his first half-season in charge and injuries mean the squad is somehow looking thin in parts.
The idea of Champions League qualification is already fanciful with the Blues struggling to cement a place in the top half of the Premier League table. Pochettino will be given time to build some form at the start of 2024, but he might want some new players to kick-start that process.
Here are the areas Chelsea could look to address in the 2024 January transfer window and the players who have been linked so far.
Right-back
It seems odd that Chelsea need another right-back with both Reece James and Malo Gusto at the club, but the repetitive injuries the duo have suffered means Axel Disasi keeps having to play out wide. That has hindered the depth at centre-back which is far from helpful.
With James set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines, a new arrival on the right flank of defence would be very welcome and allow Pochettino to stop using players out of position so frequently.
Key targets
Matty Cash's name has been thrown into the conversation as a potential right-back target for Chelsea, though Aston Villa are riding high at present and the Poland international would likely drop behind James upon hit return to fitness.
Beyond the Villa man, Chelsea have not let much slip when it comes to targets on the right of defence. They may choose to stick with Gusto when he is fit and a combination of centre-backs and left-backs who can put a shift in when needed.
Striker
Going off the current evidence, few would predict Nicolas Jackson to turn into the prolific striker Chelsea need to lead their line. His seven Premier League goals is not a poor tally, but it's worth remembering three came in that silly 4-1 win over Tottenham in which he probably should have scored about six.
Armando Broja is now fit and applying a bit more pressure to the Senegalese forward, but another striker who can score goals for years to come is high on Chelsea's wishlist.
Key targets
The majority of strikers of known interest to Chelsea will make more feasible signings in the summer market, but Inter's Lautaro Martinez and Victor Osimhen - who has just signed a new contract with Napoli - have both been looked at by the Blues.
RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko is also admired at Stamford Bridge and wants to become a Premier League player in the near future, while Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez is on the radar of almost every big club in Europe.
It's not long until Ivan Toney is back in action for Brentford and he could immediately be snapped up by Chelsea, with Man Utd also being linked with the England striker. There are plenty of options out there, but all will require Chelsea to stump up some more cash.
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper situation has been an unusual one at Chelsea this season. The signing of Robert Sanchez surprised many and while he has certainly not performed disastrously, many think he is not the long-term solution in goal.
For that reason, Chelsea are in the market assessing many different types of goalkeepers, some of whom are more attainable than others. Shot-stoppers aren't as cheap as they used to be but there are plenty of good ones around.
Key targets
The really ambitious target is AC Milan's Mike Maignan, a player who is adored relentlessly by his club. They cannot compete with Premier League sides on a financial level, so a big enough bid would be accepted.
The more attainable options can be found in La Liga, a division Chelsea have scoured recently in search of a new number one. Giorgi Mamardashvili and Unai Simon were both watched by Blues scouts in a recent game.
It might be a little cruel on Sanchez for a new top goalkeeper to be bought just half a season after his arrival, but Chelsea have always shown little in the way of sentiment when it comes to squad building.
