Steven Gerrard has urged Chelsea to bolster their defensive options in the transfer market next year, despite their business this summer.

The Blues strengthened Xabi Alonso’s side with the additions of Pep Chavarria, Marco Palestra and Maxence Lacroix ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, but they have remained frail in defence during the early weeks of the season.

Chelsea have conceded 20 goals during their first 13 games across all competitions so far this term, and while the absence of Joao Pedro through injury has harmed their attacking potency in recent games, Gerrard still believes Chelsea’s backline is their biggest issue.

When asked whether Chelsea should prioritise defensive signings in 2027, Gerrard told The Overlap: “100 per cent.

“Chelsea have good defenders. I really like Reece James when he’s fit and available and he plays right-back. I think he’s the best right-back in the country. I really like Colwill, because he gives them nice balance and the left foot. They’ve got a fantastic goalkeeper now, who I’ve worked with. And I look at the midfield and the front line and I think that can compete.

“But with all due respect, I think for Chelsea to compete with your Arsenal’s, Man City’s, Liverpool’s, and the top end of the Champions League, I think they need to find world-class centre-backs and a world-class left-back. That would be my opinion.

“Can I just relate that to when I played: Ashley Cole, John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Branislav Ivanovic. Now, that’s a back four that can compete and proved that it can compete at the top end of the Premier League and the top end of the Champions League.

“If I look at Chelsea’s back five now, I go Emiliano Martinez and Petr Cech, okay, not much in it. Martinez has proved he can win a World Cup and really perform at that high level.

“I think the Chelsea defenders have still got to prove themselves, that they can go and compete at the top end of the Premier League and also the top end of the Champions League.

“Because that back four that we played against at Chelsea, with Claude Makelele in front or Michael Essien in front, that was some base to a spine. They were top world-class players.

“I think for Chelsea to go to the next level, they need to recruit that.”

Who will Chelsea sign in 2027?

Gerrard’s comments come after it was revealed that Chelsea have identified an 11-man shortlist of centre-back targets ahead of 2027 as they look to bolster the options at Alonso’s disposal.

Tomas Araujo, Murillo, Josko Gvardiol, Natan, Ilya Zabarnyi, Jacobo Ramon, Giorgio Scalvini, Riccardo Calafiori, Nnamdi Collins, Koni De Winter and Antonio Rudiger are all on the Blues’ radar, according to Chelsea reporter Simon Phillips, as the club begin to formulate their plans for next year.

Meanwhile, they are also eager to sign a new central midfielder, with Bournemouth star Alex Scott regarded as their top target for the upcoming January window.