The squad is still young, and Enzo Maresca, despite his impressive first season, is relatively inexperienced. However, the team's performances in the Club World Cup and pre-season friendlies have been promising, with notable wins over PSG, Bayer Leverkusen, and AC Milan.

New signings and a significant investment of £200 million have added to the excitement, but the question remains: can Maresca's side be considered title contenders, or is everyone being too optimistic?

Maresca was cautious not to change too much too soon when he took over, but Chelsea have transformed from a chaotic team to one of the more defensively solid sides in Europe. Their performance in the Club World Cup was impressive, with a top goal-scoring record and a high number of big chances created.

The striker situation has also been addressed, with Liam Delap and Joao Pedro scoring a combined eight goals in the Club World Cup and pre-season friendlies. Both players are combative and have impressed with their finishing and ball-striking.

Cucurella, the Spanish full-back, has been a key player for Chelsea, providing defensive solidity and attacking flair. He's a hybrid full-back who can defend and attack, and his importance to the team cannot be overstated.

Maresca's side is in unknown waters, having played and won the Club World Cup with little time to reset and recharge ahead of the new season. They'll be without Levi Colwill for most of the campaign due to a ruptured ACL, and it's unclear how this will affect their performance.

Despite these challenges, Chelsea have shown promise and could be a dark horse in the title race. However, it's still early days, and much can happen between now and the end of the season.

Realistically, any of the top four teams could win the title, but Chelsea might be the least likely on paper. Still, it's not impossible for them to win it, but that doesn't mean they will.