Chelsea's predicted starting XI for the 2018-2019 season 

Center Backs

Stoke City v Chelsea - Premier League

Antonio Conte made three-man defence fashionable again, however, this coming season with Sarri, the Blues look to switch back to four-man defence with 2 centre backs.

Center backs is perhaps the deepest position in the Chelsea roster with plenty of strong options- Antonio Rudiger, Gary Cahill, Andreas Christensen, David Luiz, Kurt Zouma and Ethan Ampadu. (Juventus and Italian centre-back Daniel Rugani also strongly linked with Chelsea)

Right-sided centre back (RCB): Andreas Christensen

Andreas Christensen is one of the most sought-after young central defenders in the world. He forced himself into the starting lineup in 2017-18 season coming on the back of a successful 2-year loan spell at Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The Dane signed for Chelsea Academy aged 16 and was part of multiple championship winning youth sides featuring current premier league players like Nathan Ake, Dominic Solanke, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham.

Blessed with fine technique and immaculate reading of the game, the 22-year-old looks set to be at the heart of Chelsea's defence for the foreseeable future.

Right-sided centre back (LCB): Antonio Rüdiger

Rudiger was immense against United in the FA Cup final last season

Antonio Rüdiger signed for Chelsea during the summer transfer window ahead of the 2017-18 season from AS Roma. The German centre-back has an abundance of pace and physicality to deal with the most marauding of centre-forwards and is comfortable in distributing the ball from the back.

He had a good first season with Chelsea with 25 appearances in the premier league, expect him to cement a first-team spot this season.