After a storming start to the campaign, Frank Lampard has his Chelsea side in pole position for a top four place come the end of the season.

However, save this weekend’s 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, things have begun to unravel and the gaps in the squad have become more and more glaring.

With their transfer ban behind them, the club will be looking to make a real impact in the transfer window this summer.

So VAVEL UK come up with three Bundesliga players that could go straight into the first team.

Yann Sommer – Goalkeeper – Borussia Monchengladbach

For all of Kepa Arrizabalaga’s early promise and Willy Caballero’s top line experience it’s become clear that Chelsea are lacking consistency between the sticks.

Yann Sommer has become a pillar of dependability since he arrived at ‘Gladbach in 2014.

Proved by being in the top five for clean sheets in three of his five Bundesliga seasons so far – second only to RB Leipzig’s Peter Gulasci last campaign.

Having won the club’s player of the month award for three times in a row this season, he’s helped Die Fohlen go from top half also-rans to genuine title contenders in his six years at the club.

Unlike Kepa and Caballero, Sommer is first choice for his international team, Switzerland and is just eight short of 50 caps.

At 31, he’s in the prime of his career and could be the perfect foil for a young, dynamic Chelsea defence in front of him.

Philipp Max – Left Back – Augsburg

For all the praise for the rise of Fikayo Tomori and Reece James in Chelsea’s defence this season, the left back slot hasn’t looked quite so secure.

Lampard has chopped and changed with playing Emerson Palmieri and Marcos Alonso, with neither really suited to playing in a back four – which has seen skipper Cesar Azpilicueta do a job too!

It’s a role that’ll be vital for the Blues going forward, especially with rangy strikers Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud currently in the ranks.

This is where 26 year-old Phillipp Max comes in. The full back was a name on everyone’s lips after a storming season in 2017-18 with a huge 13 assists.

And perhaps it was a blessing in disguise to miss out on Germany’s ill-fated 2018 World Cup campaign.

A lean spell followed, but with seven goals and five assists to his name this season – maybe it’s time Chelsea swooped.

Andrej Kramaric – Striker – Hoffenheim

Yes, that Andrej Kramaric! The former Leicester City forward came into a struggling team and rarely got a shot under Nigel Pearson.

Germany has been the Croatian’s elixir, prompting a huge upturn in fortune.

At 28, he’s now Hoffenheim’s record Bundesliga goal scorer with 57 goals since joining in 2016.

Kramaric has evolved into a top marksman in one of Europe’s top five leagues, notching 15, 13 and 17 league goals in his three full seasons at the club.

He’s now looked at as Croatia’s leading man and will be hoping to leave England in a spin at the European Championships this summer.

With Olivier Giroud and Michy Batshuayi’s Chelsea futures both in doubt, it could prove a real coup to bring in a proven goal-getter to pressure the improving Abraham next season.