5 players Chelsea should target this summer

#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.