The two positions well-respected Sky pundit tells Chelsea to sign to bring back success

As we approach the end of the football season now with the last few games coming up, attentions will be turning to the summer transfer window and what clubs need to do to get themselves in shape for next season.

Without a doubt, Chelsea will need to kick on next season and be challenging even more, at the very least for a Champions League spot. They got pretty close to getting some silverware this season but it was not to be, and next season they will have to do more than just get close, and a trophy back in the cabinet at Stamford Bridge will be seen as a must.

This season has been hugely up and down and overall, just not good enough, whether they are in a long-term project or not. They can still finish fairly strong by getting into the Europa League, but overall I think this season will be looked at as poor.

Well-respected Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson has given his verdict, and also says the two positions Chelsea need to sign in to challenge again.

‘Chelsea haven’t been consistent enough,’ Merson told Sky Sports. ‘They’ve been good in the cups – that’s what sometimes happens when you’re a young team.

‘They’re doing well at the moment, fair play, and they’re right in the race for Europe.

‘For me, they’ve got to get in – they’ve got into a final, a semi-final, they were bang unlucky in both, and it could turn out to still be not a bad season.

‘But they’ll have to go and buy players, and not sit and think that they got it right all along. No, they haven’t. They’re miles off Man City and Arsenal. You’ve got to look at the all-round picture.

‘They’ve got to bring in experience in the summer. It looks like Thiago Silva’s going, he’s their main experienced player.

‘So they’ve got to add to that, you need that if you want consistency when things aren’t going too well, and they can just calm it down a bit.

‘They probably need an experienced centre-half to take Silva’s place, and they could do with another centre-forward too.

‘They want to be getting into the Champions League next year, surely. So they’ve got to start bridging the gap to Arsenal and Man City.

‘This is Chelsea, not a run-of-the-mill team. Chelsea are used to winning things, they want to win stuff – not finish fourth in the league like Tottenham wanted to do, and celebrate about it.

‘I can’t see how Poch isn’t in charge next season, though nothing surprises you. I haven’t thought they should ever get rid of him, he’s a good manager.

‘Individuals don’t win anything, and as long as they can keep sorting that out and keep playing as a team now, they’ll be alright.’