Chelsea Premier League Odds: Can the Blues muster a title charge?

After winning the Fifa Club World Cup over the summer, Chelsea will be hoping that they can put themselves firmly in the Premier League title race in 2025/26. The Blues have further bolstered their squad over the summer - imagine our shock - and people are starting to believe that the squad that has been assembled chaotically is now clicking.

Below you will find my predictions surrounding the Blues for the 2025/26 campaign using Betfred's Chelsea Premier League Odds.

I must admit, I'm surprised Enzo Maresca has lasted this long at Stamford Bridge. His appointment did not instil me with confidence because for all his strengths at Leicester City in the Championship, there were a few limitations.

So the fact Chelsea got off to a decent start last term did catch me and many others off guard. They did of course experience a rough patch during the campaign but it was nowhere near as bad as I was expecting.

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They ended the campaign with five wins from six games in the top flight to finish fourth and that momentum served them well in the USA as they went all the way in the CWC, beating defending Uefa Champions League champions Paris Saint-Germain in the final. It was a very good ending to his first season in charge and I think he and his players could build on this in 2025/26.

Some of Chelsea's summer signings aided them in their cause across the pond, particularly Liam Delap and Joao Pedro, their new forward options, as Nicolas Jackson's time at the club is nearing the end. Chelsea are looking to offload the striker before the transfer window shuts on September 3.

Transfer Business:

In: Joao Pedro (£60m, Brighton & Hove Albion), Jamie Gittens (£48.5m, Borussia Dortmund), Jorrel Hato (£37m, Ajax), Liam Delap (£30m, Ipswich Town), Estevao (£29m, Palmeiras), Dario Essugo (£18.8m, Sporting CP), Mamadou Sarr (£12m, Strasbourg) and Kendry Paez (£17.2m, Independiente del Valle).

Out: Noni Madueke (£48.5m, Arsenal), Joao Felix (£43.7m, Al-Nassr), Djordje Petrovic (£25m, AFC Bournemouth), Lesley Ugochukwu (£23m, Burnley), Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£28m, Everton), Armando Broja (£20m, Burnley), Mathis Amougou (12.5m, Strasbourg), Bashir Humphreys (£12m, Burnley), Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5m, Arsenal), Marcus Bettinelli (£400k, Manchester City), Lucas Bergstrom (free, RCD Mallorca), Mamadou Sarr, Mike Penders, Kendry Paez (all loaned to Strasbourg) and Marc Guiu (loan, Sunderland).

Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market once again and they are probably still actively looking at potential new recruits in the final weeks of the transfer window. Joao Pedro has looked sharp since joining from Brighton and has already shown his goalscoring capabilities at the CWC before netting a few more goals during pre-season.

Delap is another who has come into to bolster their forward ranks, and he looks to have all the qualities to see him become a feature in the England squad in the years to come.

Jamie Gittens is the latest English star to have made a name for himself abroad and another with Borussia Dortmund. He will be an interesting signing for the wing and looks like a like-for-like replacement for Noni Madueke.

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Another wide option coming in is Estevao, something we knew was happening for a long time, but it will be interesting to see him in action for the Blues this season. Jorrel Hato arrives from Ajax for a big fee but there is so much promise surrounding the teenage left-back, so Marc Cucurellla cannot afford to lower his standards this season.

Key Player: Moises Caicedo

It took a while for Moises Caicedo to settle in at Chelsea and it looked at times that his £115m transfer fee was weighing heavily on him. He looks to be over it now and is now making that fee look absolutely worth it because he was absolutely brilliant last term.

He and Enzo Fernandez are now really starting to blossom as a midfield partnership, like you would hope for one that cost over £200m. Fernandez is a good player but he is nowhere near as important to the team as Caicedo.

The Ecuadorian offers them everything in the middle of the park and he covers so much ground. With Rodri's absence due to injury last season, Caicedo was comfortably the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League and I think another positive campaign awaits him in 2025/26.

People are wanting to see if Chelsea are now in a position to compete for the league crown again, and if they are, Caicedo will have a leading role in their title charge.

Prediction: 4th

It's taken a while for me to say this but it feels like things are starting to come together for Chelsea. For ages it seemed like they were just throwing money at any Tom, Dick or Harry in the hopes that having plenty of options would bring success.

Yes, they are still signing players and the squad might remain a little bloated but they are starting to move players on, such as Madueke. Maresca's first year in charge can be considered a success because they secured Uefa Champions League football, won a trophy, and most importantly he lasted the entire year in charge.

The Italian will look to build on this in the upcoming campaign and they do look like they could be in a position to throw themselves into the title race. I do not think they are quite at the level of Liverpool or Arsenal, though.

I would say Manchester City but they were largely disappointing last term (by their very high standards) but they are another side who have recruited well this summer. It's a tough trio to contend with but after their CWC triumph, Chelsea have fired a warning to their domestic rivals.

The Blues can keep themselves in the running but I expect there will come a point where they have a blip and slowly fall away, but I think at the very least they will hold onto their place in the top four.

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