The local Chelsea fans in the Transfer Tavern have been absolutely delighted about their season so far, with Antonio Conte having guided the west London giants to the summit of the Premier League.

Still, some the Blues propping up the bar worry about a repeat of the Jose Mourinho title defence, one that saw the Stamford Bridge titans amazingly drop just above the relegation zone around the Christmas period. So, perhaps merely winning the title back won’t be enough to fully appease our west London locals.

Which is why reports from the Daily Telegraph have gone down a storm amongst those from SW6 of late. They claim the club are ALREADY working on a short-list of targets to ensure a capitulation of that ilk doesn’t happen again. Finally, it looks like Chelsea are planning for a long-term future.

With that in mind, here’s a look at THREE targets they could bring in to help defend their (potential) title.

Alvaro Morata

With Diego Costa widely tipped for a summer move away from the club, there’s little doubt the Blues will need a top class striker to replace the Spaniard with. Such is the nature of his importance, the west London giants look like a completely different side without him.

With that in mind, a move for compatriot Alvaro Morata would be a wise move, being able to offer some of the traditional forward play that’s made Costa such a success.

Virgil van Dijk

Perhaps the best defender in the league, Southampton star Virgil van Dijk looks like an ideal fit for a successful 3-4-3 formation. The Dutchman is an imposing presence, able to replace John Terry in the long-term and the notion of he and David Luiz forming a partnership is a mouth-watering one.

Craig Gordon

While the Scot isn’t as exciting a name as the two mentioned on the previous slides, it’s clear the Blues may require a second-choice stopper with Asmir Begovic linked with a move away during the New Year sales.

However, he’d be a good option to have backing up Thibaut Courtois between the sticks, such is the strong nature of his winning mentality picked up in Glasgow.