Chelsea debate: Andreas Christensen's FA Cup call intensifies Thomas Tuchel's summer headache

Chelsea's defensive reality is coming home to roost in the final weeks of this season as Antonio Rudiger's decision to leave for Real Madrid has become public, and Andreas Christensen's drawn-out departure to Barcelona has been an open secret for some time.

Christensen's absence from Saturday's FA Cup final loss to Liverpool was a surprise to his own teammates, as understands the defender had been set to start at Wembley, but Trevoh Chalobah was made to step in after Christensen left the team hotel on Saturday morning, similar to his last-minute omission from February's final.

Whether the Dane features in the Blues' remaining two league fixtures against Leicester and Watford is unclear, but his departure seems settled. Which, along with Antonio Rudiger, will force the club to act this summer to replace two senior players in a suddenly vulnerable area of Thomas Tuchel's squad.

Romelu Lukaku has already warned Chelsea over Robert Lewandowski move after Tuchel's £26m boost

Our team of Chelsea writers have come together after Saturday's defeat to debate who the club should be targeting in the transfer window. With many names mentioned and the club likely to act, ensuring Tuchel gets the right names is crucial to ensuring a smooth first season under new ownership.

It's not going to be easy for Chelsea to replace both Rudiger and Christensen. Both are very different personalities and possess very different skill sets, but both have showcased over the past 18 months that they are exceptional defenders when confident, on form, and used in Thomas Tuchel's back three.

It's why the former is headed for Real Madrid and the latter Barcelona. That Chelsea will not receive a fee for either is a source of frustration and disappointment