FIFA 17 hit the shelves on Thursday, and already fans have all started thinking about how they will take their club to the next level.

With the long awaited game finally out, Shoot! takes a look at which players Chelsea fans should be looking to bring in to strengthen their side as they bid to regain the Premier League title.

Antonio Conte took over at Stamford Bridge in the summer and, although he has brought in a couple of new players, like N’Golo Kante and David Luiz, there are still one or two areas that Chelsea fans should look to improve to attempt to win the league.

Here are FIVE players that Blues fans could add to the squad to give themselves the best chance to win the league for a second time in three years…

Leonardo Bonucci

Defensive issues have been commonplace at Stamford Bridge in the early stages of the season and, although the club resigned Luiz from Paris Saint-Germain, the defence is likely to be exploited on FIFA 17.

Bonucci is a player that, in reality, Chelsea are looking to bring in, and he is certainly a centre-back who Chelsea fans should break the bank for on FIFA.

His overall rating of 87 comfortably trumps all Blues defenders on the game, and his defending rating of the same number is one better than club captain John Terry.

His physicality is bettered by full-back Branislav Ivanovic but, in Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic, Chelsea have the seventh and ninth highest physicality ratings on the game.

It is defensively that things need improving, and Bonucci would certainly do that.

 

Mats Hummels

If a deal for Bonucci falls through (or maybe it doesn’t but you still want more defensive strength!), it’s difficult to look past one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in both reality and on the game – Mats Hummels.

The German has the eighth best defensive rating on the game, but his all-around defending statistics push him up way higher in terms of the world’s best defenders.

Hummels trumps fellow centre-back Bonucci on three of the five ‘defending’ stats, but the Juventus defender is slightly better physically, meaning that a partnership between the two at Stamford Bridge would be almost indestructible.

Antoine Griezmann

Another player Chelsea have been linked with in reality, Antoine Griezmann would definitely bolster the attacking options at Stamford Bridge.

The 25-year-old was excellent for France at the European Championships last summer, and his overall rating of 88 triumphs over all but one of Chelsea’s offensive players, the exception being Eden Hazard, who also is rated 88.

He’s the 17th best player on the game and, alongside the wealth of attacking options available in the form of Hazard, Costa, Willian, and Cesc Fabregas, he could help inspire the club to both domestic and European success.

Antonio Sanabria

All of the above three would help Chelsea in the immediate future, yet the final two could go some way to helping establish the Blues’ dominance on the game for many years to come, but you’ve got to get in there now!

Real Betis’ Antonio Sanabria is highlighted as one of the ‘hidden gems’ on FIFA 17, and someone who could develop into a world-class footballer.

The forward has the potential to reach a rating of 88 but, perhaps more impressively, the 20-year-old is already at a 78.

His finishing, dribbling, and ball control are already in the low 80s so, if needed, he could also be used in the first few seasons on the game – he would become Chelsea’s third best striker behind Costa and Michy Batshuayi.

His ability, and thus his rating, is only going to go up; you may have to stump up about £15 million for his services, but it would no doubt be a wise investment, possibly in the short-term, but almost certainly in the long term.

Julian Weigl

21-year-old Julian Weigl is already making great strides – his rating on FIFA 17 is up five from the previous year’s game.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder has already reached an overall rating of 79, although has the potential to go to the latter end of the 80s.

And it’s not difficult to see why.

His passing statistics are sensational, a few of which are in the 80s, while his dribbling and defending stats are in the mid-70s.

He’s a regular starter for Dortmund in reality, such is his present ability and undoubted potential, so could easily do a job for Chelsea if options in the middle of the park were restricted.