Chelsea’s 2024/25 season gets underway on Sunday as they take on Manchester City in the Premier League.
The Blues have struggled in the two previous campaigns so the owners will be looking to finally see a return on their significant investment.
Enzo Maresca is in charge of the West London club, having lifted the Championship title with Leicester City in May.
He will have a good chance to add to his trophy haul in the UEFA Conference League, which should be a priority.
A top-four finish in the league will also be one of the Italian’s objectives, though that will be difficult given the strength of the Blues’ rivals.
The Chelsea Chronicle’s writers have made their predictions for the 2024/25 season, including the club’s Premier League finish, top scorer and best signing.
Where will Chelsea finish in the Premier League?
Jack Drury – 4th place
“I think after a bit of time to get used to Maresca’s system, the quality of our squad will shine through.
“If injuries can be avoided, we have a host of players who, while didn’t join this summer, are essentially new signings and quality in depth all over the pitch.”
Dom Toner – 4th place
“I’m going to go with Chelsea to sneak into the Champions League positions, which may be a tad optimistic. If this happens, it would be a great achievement for Maresca in his first season.
“Aside from Manchester City and Arsenal, I don’t look at any other Premier League rival and think they’re miles ahead of Chelsea. The issue is that there’s so much chaos and unpredictability around Stamford Bridge right now, though.
“I’ll go with Chelsea to snatch fourth place, largely down to individual talents like Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku.”
James Shearman – 6th place
“A top-four finish in Maresca’s first season at the club seems unlikely, especially because the Blues have not fixed their biggest issue – inexperience.
“I expect Chelsea’s incredibly young squad to be inconsistent once again and end up in sixth place like Mauricio Pochettino’s side did in 2023/24.”
Will Chelsea win the UEFA Conference League?
Jack Drury – Yes
“It should be at least the minimum requirement for the season, and honestly shouldn’t need to see many starting eleven players along the way to achieve.
“No disrespect to any teams in this competition, but this is a level below Chelsea.”
Dom Toner – Yes
“In truth, Chelsea should be disappointed if they don’t win silverware in this competition.
“It’s not going to be a complete walk in the park like many think, especially if there are long journeys to go along with balancing a Thursday/Sunday schedule. There’s the fact that the Blues still have to qualify through the play-off tie later in August, too.
“However, Chelsea will be the club that everyone else fears facing in this tournament.”
James Shearman – Yes
“Chelsea have an excellent record in Europe, albeit under the previous regime, and that should continue this season.
“The Blues are by far the biggest team in the UEFA Conference League and anything short of a trophy would be a major disappointment.
“Plus, playing twice every week should not be an issue for Maresca’s side given the size of their first-team squad.”
Who will be Chelsea’s top scorer?
Jack Drury – Cole Palmer
“Chelsea have a real habit of winning penalties with the squad they currently have, so it’s hard to look past a player who is yet to miss one for club or country.
“It may not reach levels of competing with Erling Haaland again, but expect Palmer to top the scoring charts again for Chelsea.”
Dom Toner – Cole Palmer
“I’m split between a few names here. While Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are two players I expect to do well in front of goal, I’ve got to go with Palmer.
“This second season for Palmer in a Chelsea shirt will bring it’s different kind of challenges as opposition teams focus on his threat, but he’s such a special talent that should be buoyed by recently signing a contract extension.
“Palmer netted 25 goals across all competitions last season for the Blues. I’ll go with him to break the 20-goal barrier again.”
James Shearman – Christopher Nkunku
“Palmer is the obvious answer as he scored so many goals last season and remains the Blues’ penalty taker.
“However, too many people are overlooking Nkunku, who I believe is capable of scoring 25 times in all competitions.
“If the Frenchman can keep fit – which is an enormous concern – he will edge out Palmer in the race to be Chelsea’s top scorer this season.”
Who will be Chelsea’s best signing?
Jack Drury – Pedro Neto
“Having a winger who looks like a genuine threat in front of goal has been a rarity for Chelsea, and could be seen as a reason they haven’t been too successful as of late.
“Providing he can avoid injury, Pedro Neto has all the tools to be a star for the Blues.”
Dom Toner – Pedro Neto
“I think the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo and Marc Guiu look like smart purchases this summer. Let’s wait and see if the club does get a deal for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen over the line, too.
“For now, I’ll go with Neto for the club’s best signing. On his day, the Portuguese winger has proven he can torment Premier League defences with his pace and skill, so there’s every chance he immediately improves Chelsea’s starting eleven.
“The grey cloud hanging over Neto is his obvious injury record. However, this is the one summer signing so far that looks most likely to make the biggest impact on the team with his ability.”
James Shearman – Tosin Adarabioyo
“The signing of Adarabioyo on a free transfer from West London rivals Fulham was a really shrewd piece of business, in my opinion.
“I completely disagree with the treatment of Trevoh Chalobah but the 26-year-old is an ideal replacement for him.
“Wesley Fofana cannot be trusted after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines, so I am predicting that Adarabioyo will partner Levi Colwill for much of the season.”
Who will be Chelsea’s breakout player?
Jack Drury – Renato Veiga
“Expect Ben Chilwell to at times lose his place in the matchday squad altogether, as Maresca pushes on with his system.
“The benefactor of that will be Renato Veiga, who plays the inverted and central roles far better and will perform well in cup football this season.”
Dom Toner – Romeo Lavia
“I don’t know if he quite fits in this category, but I’m going for Romeo Lavia to be the breakout star on the basis that he’s played one competitive game for us so far.
“From what we’ve seen in pre-season, Lavia could play a pivotal role in Chelsea’s midfield moving forward. He’s got all the tools in his box to excel in the Premier League as a deep-lying midfielder.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Lavia makes the starting position his own very quickly. Hopefully, he gets much luckier with injuries compared to last season.”
James Shearman – Romeo Lavia
“I expect Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo to be Maresca’s first-choice midfield partnership but I think Lavia will make life difficult for the Italian boss.
“Lavia is excellent at dropping deep and playing progressive passes to the more attacking players, such as Nkunku and Palmer.
“He is also a capable ball-winner and should receive plenty of minutes, particularly in the Conference League, throughout the campaign.”
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