3 players Chelsea should look to sign this January

After a bright start to life under Frank Lampard; Chelsea find themselves limping in the second half of the season. While Lampard initially seemed to be getting the best out of Chelsea's young players, results have drastically soured.

The Blues' disappointing run has seen them drop points against many of the Premier League's lower sides. This has included a draw against Brighton as well as high-profile loses to Southampton, Bournemouth and West Ham.

Chelsea remain in the top 4, but this has largely been due to other teams struggling to take advantage of Chelsea's poor run. Nonetheless, the weaknesses in Chelsea's squad are clear to see and will surely need addressing if they are to secure a top 4 spot.

Chelsea were unable to sign players last summer due to their transfer ban. This has since been reduced by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, leaving Chelsea free to open their purse strings and make up for a lack of summer investment.

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#3 Alex Telles

Telles competes with Salah for possession

The left-back position has long been a source of concern for Chelsea, with neither Marcos Alonso or Emerson Palmieri really staking a claim to the position long-term.

While Alonso has always produced elite attacking numbers, Lampard's change to a back 4 means his lack of physicality and defensive awareness is no longer being covered as it was in a back 5 system.

Alex Telles certainly covers Alonso's attacking output, having scored 4 goals and assisted a further 5 in 14 league appearances for Porto this season. Like Alonso, Telles also has an elite repertoire of set pieces in his locker.

Unlike Alonso, however, Telles is comfortable in a back 4 and possess the physical attributes to get up and down the pitch. This allows him to contribute on the attacking end without neglecting his defensive duties.

#2 Kalidou Koulibaly

Koulibaly brings the ball out of defence

Chelsea have conceded 29 goals in the Premier League this season, the worst in the top 5. This defensive sloppiness is no doubt due to the lack of experience in Chelsea's backline.

Chelsea have a collection of young centre backs including Fikayo Tomori, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen. Koulibaly's experience would be of significant value to developing them, as well as the obvious quality he brings to the starting 11.

Koulibaly is a powerful, ball-playing centre back. His ability to play out from the back would be of great use in Lampard's system, which requires his centre backs to be comfortable in possession. His strong physical presence will also allow him to adapt to the Premier League fairly easily.

Napoli have had a tumultuous season, with reports of interference from the clubs president unsettling the squad. These events have also led to Ancelotti's sacking and a change in management. This, combined we repeated racial abuse has lead to reports that Koulibaly is finally ready to quit Napoli in January.

#1 Jadon Sancho

Sancho in the Champions League

Jadon Sancho has excelled since joining Borussia Dortmund, becoming the youngest-ever player to score eight goals in a single Bundesliga season. In doing so he has garnered the attention of a host of Europe's top clubs.

As well as an eye for goal, Sancho is an elite playmaker, racking up 9 goals and 9 assists in the Bundesliga already this season.

His combination of trickery and playmaking makes him ideal for a Chelsea side with an ageing Willian and Pedro. Both Willian and Pedro could leave the club at the end of the season as their contract with Chelsea expires.

The fact that Sancho can play on either flank or even possibly as a No. 10, makes him a versatile player for the Blues.

With tweets from his childhood surfacing that allude to the fact that he supports Chelsea, and his close friendship with Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi, Chelsea might have a unique advantage when fighting for his signature.