The need to rejuvenate an ageing squad, the enduring disappointment of failing to win the Champions League and some shrewd financial management during the economic downturn, are all factors that could see Roman Abramovich sanction the biggest summer of spending at Stamford Bridge for four years.
Valencia's David Villa tops a shopping list that reads like a who's who of world football's biggest stars, including Sergio Aguero, Franck Ribery and Alexandre Pato.
After an explosive start to his reign at Stamford Bridge amidst a series of expensive arrivals, Roman Abramovich has encouraged a move towards self-sufficiency in recent years.
The first three summers of his tenure saw more than £250 million go on players, but the near-five years since then have seen a net spend of less than £60m.
The picture painted by agents such as Sky Andrew is that of a slow market - "most people are trying to be more prudent, and clubs have to be more creative," he says - but the view is that the general economic climate is not what's behind a tightening of the Stamford Bridge purse strings.
"The clubs in the strongest position are the Chelseas, Uniteds and Arsenals," says Andrew. "Anything going on in the market isn't going to affect them so much as they already have world class players. Teams trying to play catch-up are those that really need to spend."
Andrew, who represents a variety of sports and entertainment stars including Sol Campbell, Jermaine Pennant and England cricketer James Anderson, argues that the scope to improve the Premier League leaders is limited.
"Who can improve that squad?" he asks. "They're already in possession of four or five of the best in the world in their positions." Neither does Andrew subscribe to the opinion that Ancelotti's squad is getting too old. "Age is irrelevant. (Didier) Drogba's 32, and still exceptional. How would you replace a guy like that? Chelsea have so many good ingredients, and a strong English spine. In this case, it's about sustainability."
Manager Carlo Ancelotti believes the way to achieve that is to cut out potential dead wood and bring down the average age of the squad, while holding on to his established lynchpins.
"Next season, there will be five players from the academy in the squad," he told Friday's media briefing. "Some other players will move on. It's not because we don't have the money but to give strength to our academy. We have very good young players and this is the time to put them in, for next year."
Sources close to the club indicate that although Abramovich has tired of Chelsea being charged premium prices, money is always to hand if the right players should become available at what the club's management judge to be reasonable prices.
The Guardian's Moscow correspondent Luke Harding says the global recession hasn't affected the Russian to the extent that some commentators have assumed. "Abramovich had an oil company which he sold," says Harding, "and unlike other Russian oligarchs who still have a money-generating asset, he doesn't have that. He just has a huge pile of cash and assets.
"Other people like the metals magnate (Vladimir) Lisin (currently number one in Russia's rich list) are doing rather better, but it's all relative. There's no evidence that he's got financial problems. He may have taken a hit, but the value of all his shares is notional as he doesn't plan to sell. As the global economy recovers, his net worth will go up again."
In fact, all evidence points to the owner being in a far better position than many of his Russian contemporaries. "Obviously his investment in Chelsea is a substantial sum of money, but he has plenty more," Harding underlines. "There are no other drains on his assets apart from his own personal consumption. If you compare him to Oleg Deripaska (the oligarch who owns aluminium company Rusal) who had to borrow $4 billion from (Vladimir) Putin to bail him out, and has had to mortgage his company and take a load of western loans, Abramovich doesn't have any creditors and doesn't have any western loans."
Harding points out that comments on the oligarch's long-term plans are largely "speculative", such is his low media profile, but the feeling in Moscow is that Abramovich is as committed to Chelsea as ever, and that he is keen to strengthen the club further. "He's not prepared to lose huge sums, but Chelsea is still a vanity project - it always has been. I can't see him parting with the club, or being happy to see it slide down the table."
Chelsea and their owner are far too canny to make any chest-beating proclamations of intent ahead of the transfer window, and are firm on the line that they will not be held to ransom, with prices prone to skyrocket in a World Cup year. Their approach is now one of patience.
The Sunday Times Rich List, published at the weekend, revealed that Abramovich had added £400 million to his formidable £7,400 million fortune in a year, despite the economic downturn.
The way in which Roman Abramovich is rebuilding his already extraordinary wealth is the same way in which he seems to envisage building his football club to the very pinnacle of European football.
