FRANK LAMPARD is facing a managerial headache once his summer spending spree is over.
The Chelsea boss has already brought in FIVE additions for the upcoming season.
Kai Havertz is close to joining Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr as a new Blue.
It leaves Lampard with plenty of options on how his new look side will shape up.
The manager’s preferred formation last season was 4-3-3 and his new additions point to that remaining throughout the campaign.
Kepa Arrizabalaga looks set to fight for his position in the starting 11 next season, but could go up against a new signing.
At the back Silva is expected to slot straight in, and will be partnered with either Antonio Rudigier, Kurt Zouma, Andreas Christensen or Fikayo Tomori.
At left-back Chilwell was signed from Leicester for £50million and will walk into the team, barring any injuries.
At right-back Lampard has to decide whether skipper Cesar Azpilicueta keeps his place over promising defender Reece James.
N’Golo Kante was shifted back into his more preferred defensive role after the Premier League restart.
And with Lampard favouring attacking midfielders either side of the Frenchman, Mason Mount and Havertz are tipped to make up a fearsome trio.
But Chelsea’s player of the season Mateo Kovacic is sure to rival them for the right to start from the off.
If Lampard was to switch to a 4-2-3-1, it could see Kante paired with Kovacic or Jorginho in a deep-lying pair, with Havertz pushed into a No10 role.
Going forward Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech are expected to occupy the flanks with Werner leading the line.
Havertz is also capable of playing out on the right, with Ziyech comfortable in an advanced midfield role too.
Similarly, speedy German Werner played five times on the left wing for RB Leipzig last season.
That means he could go out wide should Tammy Abraham or Olivier Giroud be preferred to start in the middle, adding more physicality.
Lampard also dabbled with three centre-backs last season with two attacking full-backs.
Azpilicueta could shift over to the centre to provide added experience next to Silva leaving one more space for Lampard’s four other options.
Chilwell, capable of going forward and tracking back, would be pushed on to a more advanced role on the left, much like Marcos Alonso enjoyed at Stamford Bridge.
James would be a prime contender to occupy the right wing back position.
But having splashed the cash on Ziyech – who is renowned for his delivery – the Moroccan could be handed the unusual job of playing RWB.
Kante, Havertz, Kovacic, Jorginho and Mount are then in line to challenge for the two midfield spaces.
Pulisic, Werner and also Havertz and Ziyech – depending on where they are played – are options to play as inverted wingers.
If Werner was overlooked as a striker to instead play out wide, again Abraham and Giroud would compete to play through the middle.
Playing a 3-5-2 formation could now be unlikely for Lampard as it throws up too many problems for the Blues boss.
It would force him to either play Ziyech, Havertz, Chilwell and Werner out of position – or bench them to accommodate more conventional options.
Having focussed on attacking midfielders, wingers and a striker early on in the window, it points to Lampard building on a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 set up.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
