Xabi Alonso responds to João Pedro's absence from Chelsea's attack

Their 1-0 weekend defeat to Sunderland, who had been bottom of the Premier League, highlighted more difficulties at the back, with Levi Colwill the latest to come under the spotlight.

He was withdrawn at half-time after a disappointing first-half performance and it comes at a time when sources continue to suggest that Chelsea are unhappy with the team's defensive resilience and the lack of cohesion between individuals. 

The futures of Wesley Fofana and Malo Gusto have already come into question.

Jarrad Branthwaite remains a player Chelsea have been keeping an eye on for next year, while Eintracht Frankfurt's Nnamdi Collins is emerging as a new name on their radar. 

Chelsea's recruitment team is carrying out extensive work to identify potential targets who could strengthen the squad in 2027 and beyond, sources have confirmed.

Collins, 22, has attracted considerable attention in Germany through his performance levels for Frankfurt, with Premier League clubs now linked with the possibility of bringing him to England. He is capable of playing at both right-back and centre-back.

Chelsea are understood to be among those interested in Collins, who has also represented Germany at international level.

He came through Borussia Dortmund's academy - and was previously linked with Chelsea - but has been with Frankfurt since 2023.

There is a growing feeling that Chelsea's defensive situation needs to be addressed in the market, with January increasingly looking like an opportunity to make change.

Collins is one of several names likely to surface as the window approaches, but his emergence underlines the extent to which Chelsea are examining potential solutions.