Chelsea can take summer transfer spending to £175m by completing three more deals

Chelsea have been fairly busy behind the scenes in the summer transfer window as the club's sporting directors look to provide Enzo Maresca with the necessary tools to compete on all fronts next season.

It has been a successful debut campaign - which has been extended due to the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup - at Stamford Bridge for Maresca. The Italian has led Chelsea back to the Champions League with a fourth-place finish and also won his first piece of silverware last month with the Blues beating Real Betis in the Conference League final.

There is no time, however, for the club to rest on their laurels and they view this transfer window as a significant one. So far, the Blues have brought in the likes of Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mike Penders - all for a combined fee of £65million.

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Meanwhile, one of the teams Chelsea will be hoping to compete with next season, Liverpool, have spent almost £150million on Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz. That accumulated figure will soon rise to £190million, with Milos Kerkez set to join the Reds from Bournemouth.

The newly-crowned Premier League champions want to build on their 2024/25 season and while in different circumstances, that is what Chelsea are hoping to do as well. The Blues are currently looking at a versatile forward and a left-sided winger who can cut in onto his right foot.

Chelsea have looked at a few options for the versatile attacker, including the likes of Joao Pedro, Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus. All three players are expected to cost north of £60million. There has been contact between the Blues and Brighton over a possible move for Pedro, who the Seagulls are open to selling for the right price.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have long been admirers of Simons, who is looking increasingly likely to leave RB Leipzig this summer. Simons has just over two years left to run on his contract at the Red Bull Arena, making a sale a more attractive option for the Bundesliga club this summer.

Kudus is also an option for the west Londoners. West Ham United are looking to generate some funds and have placed the Ghana international on the transfer list. Earlier this month, the Blues held talks with the Hammers after their city rivals offered them the opportunity to sign the attacker.

Discussions between Chelsea and the Irons have taken place, football.london understands, but no official offer has been lodged just yet. Kudus has an £85million release clause in his contract at the London Stadium but West Ham are said to be willing to do business for a bit cheaper.

Hugo Ekitike is someone who remains on the club's radar, though Chelsea have been put off somewhat by Eintracht Frankfurt's £85million asking price for the French striker. Reports from Germany suggest Liverpool are the front-runners for Ekitike's signature this summer.

Elsewhere, Chelsea have identified Jamie Gittens as their No.1 target in the left wing position. The Blues have a verbal agreement on personal terms with the 20-year-old wide man, who has made his desire to return to England very clear to Borussia Dortmund. However, Chelsea and the Black and Yellow are yet to agree on a fee for Gittens.

Chelsea saw a £42million offer for Gittens turned down earlier in the month with Dortmund understood to be holding out to a figure closer to the £50million-mark. Talks between the two clubs have continued since, however, with Chelsea preparing a fresh offer for the England Under-21 international, football.london understands.

If Chelsea were to bring in Gittens and one of Kudus/Pedro/Simons, then it would take this summer's spending to almost £200million. By our estimations, it will be around £175million altogether. And you would not expect Chelsea to be done there either.