There is no hiding away from the disappointment of Chelsea's 2022/23 campaign as the club failed to qualify for any European competition next season.
Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard all had turns in charge of the Blues throughout the year but Todd Boehly's ruthless use of his axe did not yield results as the term ended in a 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.
Mauricio Pochettino has now been appointed as the new manager to lead the team forward and the Argentine coach now has a full summer transfer window to make any changes that he wants to make to his squad.
One player who must be replaced in the coming months is central midfielder N'Golo Kante, who is set to sign an £86m-per-season deal with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad upon the expiry of his contract at the end of June.
Who could replace N'Golo Kante at Chelsea?
Pochettino could land a dream long-term replacement for the Frenchman by striking a deal to sign the "exciting" – as he was hailed by journalist Dan George – Romeo Lavia from Southampton, who is a reported £50m-rated target for the Blues.
The Belgium international, who was once dubbed a“diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be an excellent addition to the squad after his impressive first year in senior football with the south coast side, in spite of their relegation to the Championship.
He played 29 times in the top tier of English football and won 56% of his duels and completed 86% of his attempted passes, which shows that the midfielder was strong in his physical contests, despite being 19, and was a reliable passer for his side.
Meanwhile, the Chelsea ace completed 82% of his passes and won 59% of his battles for the Blues in the division, suggesting that there is a huge difference between the two when it comes to their efficiency in competing for the ball.
Over the last 365 days, Kante has averaged 3.57 tackles and interceptions per 90 in the Premier League and in European competitions. Lavia, meanwhile, has averaged 3.77 per 90 for the Saints in the top-flight, proving that both players are able to cut out opposition attacks multiple times each match.
They also both rank in the top 11% of players in Europe's top five leagues over the last 365 days for blocks made per 90. Indeed, they are both midfielders who track back and are willing to put their bodies on the line to prevent their goalkeeper from being called into action.
Therefore, Pochettino could land the perfect successor to Kante by signing Lavia.
He is 13 years younger than the Frenchman and it's clear that the Saints star is a talented teenager who has already shown immense promise in the Premier League as a holding midfield player.