Thomas Tuchel has transformed Chelsea since taking the reins from Frank Lampard back in January. 

The former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain coach arrived with a strong reputation, but the speed of his impact has still taken many by surprise. 

Chelsea are finishing the season strongly under his tutelage and have both a Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid and an FA Cup final date against Leicester City to look forward to. 

In the Premier League, meanwhile, the Blues are on course to finish inside the top four.

If Tuchel can lead the club to a trophy and a top-four finish, then Roman Abramovich's controversial decision to dismiss Lampard will have been firmly vindicated. 

The German manager hasn't yet had the opportunity to stamp his own mark on the squad by bringing in new players, but Chelsea have been linked with a raft of targets in recent months.

With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT have put together four potential starting XIs for Chelsea in the 2021/22 season which include players that have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge. 

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Tuchel already has an incredibly strong squad at his disposal, but the club's history suggests he'll have the opportunity to add fresh blood this summer. 

Let's take a look at how they could line-up. 

Line-up 1: If Chelsea land top targets 

Chelsea have been linked with a move for West Ham United lynchpin Declan Rice for well over 12 months, and he sits alongside Jorginho to create a formidable midfield axis. 

Raphael Varane has been mooted as a target for Chelsea and he steps into the heart of a defensive trio, offering an authoritative presence alongside the less experienced Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. 

At the spearhead of the attack, meanwhile, Erling Haaland, who is Abramovich's top centre-forward target according to reports, offers a prolific alternative to Timo Werner.

Line-up 2: If Chelsea fail with top targets 

According to Italian media outlet Calciomercato, Romelu Lukaku is Chelsea's second-choice striker target in the event that they cannot lure Haaland to west London. 

The Inter Milan star joins Borussia Dortmund's teenage sensation Jude Bellingham in this XI of alternative targets, 

Chelsea are the club with the most interest in Bellingham at this stage according to Eurosport, and fellow Bundesliga prospect Ibrahima Konate, who is on a three-man strong defensive shortlist according to The Athletic, completes the new spine for Tuchel.

Line-up 3: Alternative Tuchel set-up with 5 big-name signings 

Tuchel has predominantly set up with three central defenders and wing-backs at Chelsea, but he could revert to a 4-2-3-1 formation in the event that Abramovich bankrolls a second consecutive summer spending spree. 

Though the wide positions are untouched here, this XI features an almost entirely fresh spine with Konate, Varane, Rice, Bellingham and Haaland all included. 

Line-up 4: If Chelsea only sign soon-to-be free agent targets

The pandemic has had a damaging effect on football club finances so it's no surprise that Chelsea have been linked with a host of soon-to-be free agents. 

This XI includes Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng, AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu and Manchester City record goal scorer Sergio Aguero, all of whom are on the club's radar according to reports.

But the headline inclusion is Lionel Messi, whose future still remains unclear. 

Spanish journalist Guillem Balague claimed back in November that Chelsea are "in the equation" in terms of the race for the Argentine's signature, and there has been nothing since then to suggest the situation has changed. 

It looks set to be another intriguing summer for Chelsea as they look to consolidate the stark foundations Tuchel has already built at the club.