Chelsea are back, Chelsea are busy and Chelsea in the transfer market know very few boundaries. Their flash spending over the past 12 months has told a story of its own and even the now desperate sales of squad players, formerly key players and unsellable academy graduates cannot detract from the underlying feeling.
Mauricio Pochettino, Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, Clearlake Capital as an entire entity, Paul Winstanley and his recruit minions, Joe Shields, Lawrence Stewart and Christopher Vivell are the brains trust in this never-ending exodus of players. The revolving door has started and anyone caught up is going.
The feeling of undeniable curiosity remains at Stamford Bridge as experienced first team players leave and baby- faced, long-term replacements flood in. Just who, though, will fill the gaps left by Kai Havertz, N'Golo Kante and the rest? As disappointing as most were last season (and for some, quite a bit before that, too) they operated in a large squad that had to tackle four competitions.
There is less demand this year but the sheer volume of exits poses a question as to where the players for Pochettino in midfield and attack are coming from. It is this wonder and general query that makes the expected incomings to anticipated.
Christopher Nkunku is secured, Nicolas Jackson has followed , youth players are propping the system up but more is to come. Chelsea, as usual, are linked with most top players but the most likely options are hard to come by. Here, football.london takes you through those that Bet365 believes are favourites to be in blue next season.
Harry Kane - 14/1
On a par with Mane is Kane. That feels optimistic given the Tottenham connection and Daniel Levy negotiating obstacle, but it is not out of the equation entirely. With Kane reportedly keen to stay in England so he can chase the Premier League record, his family settled in London and one year left on his contract, plus Pochettino factor, the move remains teeteringly obvious.
However, reality kicks in and Kane to Chelsea feels a long way off. Bayern Munich (15/8), Real Madrid (5/1) and Manchester United (14/1) are all in play here and remaining at Spurs is perhaps still the most logical outcome. Watch this space.
Eden Hazard - 16/1
32, crooked, debating retirement. Chelsea cannot shake the seemingly eternal and inevitable thought of a return for Hazard. He is without a club currently after leaving Madrid one year before the end of his contract and this has only raised the prospect of a Stamford Bridge fairytale once more. Offers from Saudi Arabia (5/2), MLS (1/1) and Turkey (9/2) are all seem as more likely but with Chelsea you simply do not know. It is Hazard, after all.