Chelsea's dream 2026/27 squad including £75m England star and Andoni Iraola reunion

Chelsea are set to undergo a major squad rebuild this summer, with Andoni Iraola tipped to take charge as another fresh start takes place ahead of the 2026/27 campaign

Déjà vu appears set to descend upon Stamford Bridge once again as Chelsea gear up for yet another summer overhaul. And it seems departing Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola could be the man tasked with leading the charge.

The Spaniard is currently the frontrunner to be appointed as Liam Rosenior's permanent successor in west London. The appointment makes considerable sense given Iraola has already confirmed he'll be moving on after three impressive seasons on the south coast, though he has yet to take charge of a project on Chelsea's scale.

Nevertheless, his arrival would bring its own advantages as the Blues look to strip things back and rebuild from scratch once more. With that in mind, Mirror Football has assembled a dream squad for the 2026/27 campaign, featuring a host of realistic new signings and departures that could plausibly unfold to restore the club to the summit.

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Goalkeepers

A case could be made that Chelsea ought to dedicate some of their resources to finding an upgrade on Robert Sanchez this summer. However, with so many other areas in greater need of attention, it doesn't feature among the top priorities in west London.

Expect the 2026/27 season to kick off with Sanchez as No. 1, with Filip Jorgensen applying pressure as the primary backup. United States youngster Gabriel Slonina should retain his position as the third-choice option, although a loan move remains a distinct possibility.

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Defenders

Securing a new centre-back is believed to be the top priority for the Blues this summer. And having failed to keep a clean sheet in 12 Premier League matches, it's not difficult to see why.

Premier League experience is also understood to be a key requirement for the Blues wherever possible. Nottingham Forest's Murillo appears to fit the bill after The Guardian reported earlier this month that Chelsea had registered their interest.

The Brazil international has been one of the standout figures behind Forest's rise through the Premier League in recent years and has proven to be an absolute bargain at under £5million. Needless to say, Chelsea would be unable to sign the 23-year-old for anything remotely close to that figure, given how dramatically his value has soared in England.

The west Londoners have suffered a catalogue of injuries in central defence this season, which has severely hindered whoever has taken charge. That said, several of the existing options have also struggled to impress when called upon.

In an ideal world, Chelsea would build their defensive core around a fit Murillo, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Jorrel Hato. That would allow Josh Acheampong to continue in learning the ropes, while the likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile could offer additional cover, though one of those names could potentially be offloaded or sent out on loan.

That would open the door to sell Tosin Adarabioyo, while Mamadou Sarr could benefit from being sent out on loan to gain valuable experience. The full-back positions largely take care of themselves in a scenario where Reece James and Malo Gusto remain fit on the right, with Marc Cucurella and Hato holding down the left flank.

Midfielders

Much has been made of Enzo Fernandez's current predicament and what lies ahead after he hinted at leaving Chelsea and was subsequently suspended by Rosenior. Ideally, however, those differences would be ironed out and the player would pledge his future to the west London club.

He is one of several midfield cornerstones Chelsea can look to build around, a group that also features Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Andrey Santos and Romeo Lavia, fitness permitting. Lavia in particular is a significant caveat and it is understood Chelsea are also keen to bring in at least one midfielder before the window shuts.

Admittedly, it may be a tough sell without the lure of Champions League football, or potentially European competition altogether, but Adam Wharton could represent the jewel in their summer crown in that regard. In a setup where Fernandez is afforded greater licence to push forward, a double pivot of Caicedo and Wharton has the makings of something truly formidable.

It helps that the Crystal Palace star is already London-based and would bolster the Blues' homegrown quota. There is also a feeling the 22-year-old's next destination could be the move that keeps him firmly out of reach for much of his peak years, should everything fall into place.

Former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole endorsed the idea in principle, telling Boyle Sports earlier this year: "Moises Caicedo is a top player but adding Adam Wharton alongside Enzo Fernandez would create a formidable midfield.

"That is a tasty combination, with those three in midfield and everything about it. That is proper. It would be a very, very hard defence to get by. Going forward, they've got a lot."

If we're genuinely being ambitious, Iraola would also leverage his ties at the Vitality Stadium to bring in Alex Scott. Once more, the 22-year-old would represent sound business in terms of the homegrown quota, while he's demonstrated his versatility across various midfield roles for the Cherries.

It says a great deal that Scott is beginning to catch the eye of England manager Thomas Tuchel, having received his maiden senior call-up last year. And of all the big-money signings likely to arrive at the Bridge this summer, the Guernsey-born talent could prove one of the more affordable options.

Forwards

You could make the case Joao Pedro is the sole attacker currently at Stamford Bridge who can genuinely be considered 'unsellable' right now. Estevao has offered flashes of serious promise since arriving in England but there's plenty of quality in the attacking department that could be offloaded to generate funds.

With that in mind, any money recouped would be wisely reinvested in England winger Anthony Gordon. It's reported Newcastle are in dire need of funds this summer and may be compelled to sell, with Gordon among the high-profile names who could become available.

The 25-year-old is believed to be valued at approximately £75m by Newcastle, though that figure could be negotiated down depending on competition in the market. Gordon fits the age profile but there's a feeling if Chelsea don't act now, he could be snapped up by others permanently.

As for those who could make way for his arrival, both Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto have struggled to impress and may be offloaded this summer. Neto's discipline has caused headaches in west London, while Garnacho is doing little to justify the £40m fee that brought him from Manchester United last year.

Nicolas Jackson already appears destined for the exit following his season-long loan at Bayern Munich. Tyrique George could similarly depart if Everton fail to make his move permanent, while Axel Disasi is another who could generate some welcome income.

Marc Guiu is another player who seems to be falling out of favour, although another loan spell could represent the most sensible solution in his situation. It feels premature to abandon hope on Liam Delap just yet, though 2026/27 is when supporters will genuinely need to see considerably more from the striker if he is to secure his long-term future at Chelsea.

Final dream 2025/26 squad

In short, Chelsea's ideal summer transfer window would bring Anthony Gordon in alongside Adam Wharton, Murillo and Alex Scott. At the same time, the likes of Neto, Garnacho, Badiashile, Jackson, George and Disasi could all be offloaded to raise much-needed funds.

Here is how that final squad would look:

Sanchez, Jorgensen, Slonina; Murillo, James, Fofana, Chalobah, Hato, Colwill, Gusto, Cucurella, Acheampong; Palmer, Wharton, Fernandez, Caicedo, Santos, Essugo, Lavia, Scott; Gordon, Pedro, Estevao, Delap, Gittens.

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