Chelsea will be fighting to secure a top six finish in the Premier League by the end of this week as they prepare for their last two matches of the season.
The Blues travel away from Stamford Bridge to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night before playing host to Bournemouth at the weekend.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently level on points with Newcastle United in sixth, but below them on goal difference, and will be looking to overtake them over the next six days.
Chelsea could still, therefore, secure Europa League, instead of the Europa Conference League, football for the 2024/25 campaign with a strong end to the term.
However, the focus behind the scenes may already be on what they could do in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster the playing squad.
In fact, Chelsea were linked with an interest in a former Premier League magician earlier this month, and he could come in to replace Noni Madueke as a starter next season.
Chelsea's interest in Barcelona star
It was recently reported by Graeme Bailey that the Blues are one of a number of clubs who have been alerted to the potential availability of Barcelona star Raphinha this summer.
The outlet claimed that Chelsea and West Ham have both shown previous interest in the Brazil international and have now had it made clear to them that he could be on the market this time around, although it remains to be seen whether or not either team will come in with a firm offer for the winger.
It was also revealed that Newcastle United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are also interested in the former Leeds United whiz.
They have all been spoken to about his status heading into the summer transfer window and have shown some interest in signing the left-footed dynamo.
The report claimed that he is set to be available for a move as Barcelona are looking to raise funds to make new additions of their own for Xavi's squad.
It also added that the Spanish giants will hope to make a tiny profit on the £50m that they splashed out to sign him from Leeds in the summer of 2022. However, no exact figure was mentioned so it remains to be seen how much Chelsea would need to pay to land the attacker.
If Todd Boehly and his team can get a deal over the line for the Brazil international, ahead of their Premier League rivals, then Pochettino could boldly ditch Madueke from his starting XI, despite the talented gem's recent form for the Blues.
Noni Madueke's Premier League form this season
The young ace is another left-footed winger who mainly operates down the right flank, like Raphinha, and it is, therefore, his position that would be under threat if the Barcelona wizard arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer.
He has been in impressive form in recent weeks and has been a regular starter for Pochettino of late, with eight straight starts in all competitions.
Madueke has racked up three goals and two assists in his last seven Premier League appearances, having managed two goals and zero assists in his last 14 matches in the division this term.
Appearances
21
Goals
5
Assists
2
Big chances created
2
Key passes per game
1.0
Dribbles completed per game
1.6
As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has been directly involved in seven goals in 21 league games so far this season, which is not an outstanding return.
He has only created one chance per game on average for his teammates and, bar his recent run of form, has not offered a consistent threat as a scorer or a creator of goals in the top-flight.
At the age of 22, Madueke still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve over the years to come but Chelsea could land an instant upgrade on him by swooping for Raphinha.
That would leave the former PSV wizard as a back-up for that role on the right side of the attack, or at least needing to fight for his place in the XI, or it could force him to consider his short-term future with the London giants.
Why Raphinha could replace Noni Madueke
Raphinha could replace Madueke on the right wing for Chelsea as he is an experienced and proven top-level winger who has showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis in Spain and in England.
During his time with Leeds, the Brazil international produced 17 goals, 12 assists, and 22 'big chances' created in 65 Premier League matches, which earned him a move to the Nou Camp.
This shows that the left-footed star has already proven that he has what it takes to perform consistently in the English top-flight, with an impressive stream of goals and assists.
He would, therefore, be less of a risk to sign than, for example, a player coming in from another league with no prior experience of football in the Premier League, or England at all.
Raphinha, whose crossing with both feet was hailed as "dangerous" by Xavi, then hit the ground running in LaLiga with an eye-catching return of seven goals scored, seven assists, and 17 'big chances' created in 25 starts during the 2022/23 campaign.
Appearances
21
26
Goals
5
5
Assists
2
9
Big chances created
2
11
Key passes per game
1.0
1.5
As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old sensation has significantly outperformed Madueke at league level this term, with over four times as many assists and over five times as many 'big chances' created, with the same number of goals.
This suggests that they both offer a similar goal threat but the Barcelona maestro would create considerably more for his teammates if he arrives at Stamford Bridge.
The £207k-per-week star, who was once dubbed a "magician" by former teammate Dan James, could be a fantastic signing to bolster the Blues attack, which is why Pochettino and Boehly should swoop to secure his services this summer.
Couple his current form in comparison to Madueke with his history of being a lethal performer in the Premier League and the evidence is there to suggest that the manager could boldly ditch the English forward for Raphinha next term.