3 ways Chelsea can repeat as champion next season

Antonio Conte walked in and put his stamp on the Premier League right away, but for Chelsea to replicate this level of dominance next season, the Italian tactician has some work to do this summer.

Here, we look at three things the Blues must focus on to repeat as league champion in 2017-18.

Sort out the striker situation

Diego Costa's murky future will be front and centre this summer.

The hellacious striker has been the focus of reported interest from China, with Tianjin Quanjian said to be preparing a mammoth £76-million bid to pry the Spaniard away from Stamford Bridge. The club has denied it, and Costa himself has made veiled attempts to pour cold water on the rumour.

"I am the owner of my future and it does not mean that I am going to China," Costa told South American outlet DirecTV Sports earlier this month, as translated by the Press Association.

But for a man who admitted that he tried to engineer a move back to Atletico Madrid last summer - and was also involved in a furious row with Conte earlier this season - it's inevitable that questions remain about his future in west London.

The Blues have been linked with Romelu Lukaku, Alvaro Morata, and even Alexis Sanchez as potential replacements that could lead the line should Costa depart; while it remains unclear who, if any, of the three will arrive, it's something of a foregone conclusion that some of Conte's summer expenditure will aim to upgrade the situation up front.

And then of course, there's the issue of Michy Batshuayi, who can't afford to spend another season languishing on the bench and only getting onto the pitch for minute-long cameos at the end of matches that are already decided.

Bring back (or sell) the kids for added depth

Chelsea's army of loanees draws the ire of the club's Premier League peers - both because the talent pool is ridiculously deep, and because the Blues' policy on loaning out youngsters is seen as an abuse of the system.

However you view it, it's impossible to deny that Chelsea is primed to take advantage of the situation, one way or another.

Conte and the front office can decide to bring back promising talents - like they did with Nathan Ake in January - and incorporate them into the squad, or they can capitalize on their impressive loan spells by shipping them off to the highest bidder, and use the influx of cash in the transfer market.

Twenty-one-year-old duo Bertrand Traore and Andreas Christensen, starring at Ajax and Borussia Monchengladbach, respectively, look like they could both contribute for Chelsea right now.

Tammy Abraham probably needs another season elsewhere, where he'll be afforded minutes to continue his development. Baba Rahman could return from Schalke to offer a natural option who can fill in for Marcos Alonso in case of injury or fatigue.

With a Champions League campaign on the horizon, that kind of depth will be vital.

And then there's the young contingent already with the first team: Nathaniel Chalobah, Charly Musonda, Kenedy, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

They won't be content to sit and watch the action from the bench forever.

Hold on to Hazard, Courtois at all costs

Duh.

Both Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois have been the subject of rumours linking them with eye-watering moves to Real Madrid, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Chelsea desperately needs to keep hold of both Belgians in order to push for a third Premier League title in four seasons.

The diminutive winger has been, with all due respect to N'Golo Kante, the most electrifying player in the league this season; back to his very best, Hazard's ability to do everything at an elite level makes him a virtually unstoppable attacking force. You don't let guys like that leave unless someone offers you an ungodly sum of money - and even then, you ask for more.

His compatriot, meanwhile, is one of the five best goalkeepers in the world, and having just turned 25 this week, figures to remain in that conversation for years to come. Considering the dearth of world class shot-stoppers right now, only a monstrous offer should even be considered for Courtois.

If Florentino Perez, or anyone else, wants one or both of these superstars, they'll need to part ways with every last coin in the coffer.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)