5 players Chelsea should target this summer

Chelsea have been going through a tough campaign to say the least following their title-winning exploits last term, as the defending champions aim to secure Champions League qualification. In comparison to the Manchester giants, the Blues have been fairly quiet in the transfer market. Even manager Antonio Conte has - on numerous occasions - complained about the club's transfer policy.

Unhappy with their acquisitions, Conte feels he's dealing with a very thin squad and although his future in west London remains uncertain, the coming months are crucial for Chelsea.

For them to challenge for major honours next term and beyond, the current squad must be reinforced with top-quality acquisitions.

#5 Gianluigi Donnarumma

Donnarumma has emerged as the finest goalkeeping talent across Europe

Donnarumma has been dubbed the most exciting prospect in Europe by many critics. The 19-year-old already has over 110 club appearances for Serie A side AC Milan.

The Rossoneri star is considered among the best goalkeepers in the world despite being a teenager and Chelsea, like several European giants, have been linked with the Italy international.

Current first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is yet to sign a contract extension with the club and will only have a year left on his existing deal once this current campaign is complete.

The highly-rated Belgian is being courted by La Liga giants Real Madrid, which is likely to leave the Blues with a significant sum of money and a starting spot that could be utilised in their attempts to persuade Gianluigi into departing Italy for.

#4 Robert Lewandowski

Lewandowski is one of the world's best forwards and could soon be plying his trade in the English capital.

The Bayern Munich striker has been on and off Chelsea's radar, with Manchester United also long-term admirers. Having made a name for himself as one of Europe's most deadly strikers, the Poland international will not come cheap should he angle for a move away.

However, it's becoming increasingly clear that the Blues need a forward with a proven track record - having seen Álvaro Morata struggle to adjust to the Premier League's physicality and intensity in recent months. The Spaniard could still turn things around and the presence of a more experienced attacker like Robert would certainly have a positive impact on his development going forward.

At 29-years-old, it's now or never. Lewandowski himself has said recently that he's happy at Bayern, but things can change quickly in football and he could be persuaded into a new challenge in a different league, should Chelsea's interest be genuine.

That being said, only a significant transfer fee will manage to convince Bayern into parting ways with their prized asset.

#3 Marco Asensio

Asensio has becoming increasingly unhappy with the lack of playing time at the Bernabeu

Ever since breaking into the Real Madrid first-team, Marco Asensio has become a hit among supporters - but the creative Spaniard is said to be unsure about his long-term future, having been frozen out of the senior squad for sustained periods this season.

According to reports in the Express, the 22-year-old has even informed team-mate Isco that if they were to make an approach for Eden Hazard, he'd make clear his intentions for a move to Chelsea. This could see him form a partnership alongside former team-mate Álvaro Morata, who he'd expect to help settle into life in west London.

Real themselves are eyeing a lucrative move for Hazard and despite his quality, could use Asensio as a bargaining chip to land the Belgian international this summer. Chelsea could also then proceed to build the team around Asensio for years to come, just like they did with a young Hazard from Ligue 1 side Lille in 2012.

#2 Antoine Griezmann

Antoine Griezmann has been on Chelsea's radar for a few seasons now

According to the Metro, Griezmann was linked with a possible move to Chelsea last summer, but the move never materialised. The talented Frenchman remained at Atlético, despite tireless speculation suggesting his future would be in the Premier League - whether that was with the Blues, was not yet confirmed.

This summer though, a deal to sign the 26-year-old forward could finally be completed as the former Real Sociedad man has continually dropped hints on moving forward from Atletico in the past.

Given the level of inflation in this current transfer market, Chelsea are unlikely to agree a fee for anything less than around £80-90m - which could ultimately pay off in the future, given Griezmann's ability and capability to improve further over time.

#1 Gareth Bale

Bale's spell with Real has been plagued by troublesome injuries - could a return be on the cards?iga

Despite achieving major success since his then world-record switch to Real Madrid from Tottenham in 2013, Gareth Bale has been plagued by troublesome injuries and struggled for fitness too regularly over the past few seasons.

According to reports, Chelsea are now favourites for his signature - as speculation continues to suggest Real president Florentino Perez has run out of patience with him. Bale could potentially be another heavyweight name included in their attempts to land Hazard, whom manager Zinedine Zidane is a huge admirer of.

At 28, Bale's reaching the peak years of his career and will be keen to maintain both stability and consistency on the pitch - continual injuries and questions over his long-term future are not going to help. With that in mind, perhaps a move back to the English capital is precisely what the Welshman needs in order to revive his career.

If Hazard were to leave and Bale was part of a player-plus-cash deal, they'd get a world-class player as well as a fair transfer fee in return. His acquisition alone would bolster Conte's attacking options, whilst equally sending out a statement to their title rivals.