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Chelsea are planning to sign a midfielder and an attacker in 2026 - and have drawn up a long list of potential targets for the positions. Since Clearlake Capital, led by Behdad Eghbali, took over Chelsea four years ago, the Premier League giants have been one of the highest-spending clubs in Europe with well over £1billion having been forked out on new signings since then. But they are far from done.

They want to strengthen new manager Liam Rosenior's squad over the next two windows. And though summer deals in midfield and attack are more likely than any January business, the Blues are ready to pounce on any opportunities in the next two weeks. The Athletic report that Chelsea have a list of 10 names for the two positions. The club's recruitment staff are seeking a forward who can inject extra creativity into the team and looked at Xavi Simons last summer before he moved to Tottenham.

Chelsea ultimately could not find a suitable player and recruited Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton instead. But the Argentine has since left Stamford Bridge to join Leeds United on loan after making just one Premier League appearance for the Blues.

The report states that Buonanotte was signed purely as cover while injured talisman Cole Palmer was being nursed back to full health. Though Palmer is fully fit again, the club are in pursuit of a player to take some pressure off Palmer to be the primary creator.

While Chelsea may not bring in a new midfielder or attacker this month, they could recruit a centre-back capable of slotting straight into Rosenior's starting eleven. Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet is a target and could cost up to £56million (€65m).

The 20-year-old France youth international is highly rated by Rosenior, who watched him up close in Ligue 1 when manager of Strasbourg. With Levi Colwill's season over due to an ACL injury and Tosin Adarabioyo having picked up a hamstring problem, Chelsea want a centre-half capable of having an immediate impact.

Sky Sports say alternative options are Bournemouth's Marcos Senesi and Jacobo Ramon from Como. Rosenior was asked about the interest in Jacquet in a press conference today but refused to confirm or deny that he wants to buy the defender.

He said: "You'll know about me, I don't speak about players from other clubs until something is agreed with the player. I think it's so disrespectful." The Chelsea manager confirmed Adarabioyo will be ruled out "for the next few weeks" with his muscle injury and hinted that exiled winger Raheem Sterling will leave the club this month following links to Napoli.