It simply wouldn't be a Chelsea transfer window without some remarkable stories and here
they have started again. One week🌟 before the January window even opens and there
remains talk of a move for Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney and now🌟 even former Coventry City
man Viktor Gyokeres.
In midfield and player of the season Conor Gallagher is seemingly
up for sale🌟 despite captaining the side for the 11th time this season away at Wolves on
Sunday and Romeo Lavia only making🌟 his first matchday squad at the same time. The
defence has been full of flux but could yet see more🌟 change.
Ian Maatsen and Trevoh
Chalobah may well depart, Thiago Silva could follow them at the end of the season and
🌟 despite signing Axel Disasi over the summer, there are fresh links to a new centre-back
too. With Reece James and🌟 Marc Cucurella injured there are questions over the need for
a new full-back too.
It wouldn't be a transfer window without🌟 Chelsea and it wouldn't
be Chelsea without big links and bad decisions. Here, football.london has the latest in
world of🌟 moves.
Firstly, Cristiano Ronaldo's name is back on the lips of English
football fans. This comes not because he has scored🌟 in Saudi Arabia again - does
anybody actually watch that those games? - but due to the voice of legendary🌟 boxing
promoter Fran Warren. Tweeting online after an image of Ronaldo and himself emerged
online, Warren joked that he was🌟 'working' on a deal.
In response to a post claiming
that the former Manchester United man was 'signing for Arsenal', Warren🌟 responded
saying: "Working on it." The pair were seen to be laughing and joking at the 'Day of
Reckoning' boxing🌟 event in the Middle East. Chelsea have been linked with Ronaldo
before so this begs the question, could the Blues🌟 take advantage of Warren for
something truly sensational here?
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Pochettino's most vital player would be Chelsea and Todd Boehly's worst
nightmare
football.london🌟 says: Well, no! Ronaldo is banging them in at his newest club
but frankly the standard in the Saudi Pro🌟 League doesn't count for much even after the
influx of talent. Not only is there absolutely no indication that Ronaldo🌟 is looking
for a move or that Chelsea would go close to matching their level of interest in the
38-year-old🌟 from two years ago, it just doesn't make sense.
The Blues are looking for a
new striker, sure, and an experienced🌟 one at that, but Ronaldo isn't that guy. He
wasn't that guy when he left Manchester United, he wasn't that🌟 guy when he left
Juventus and he certainly isn't now. Mauricio Pochettino might want experience and some
readymade quality but🌟 he doesn't want this.
It shouldn't even be considered, frankly.
Ronaldo is hardly the type of player Pochettino would need to🌟 enhance this team even if
his scent for goal did bring a new element of potency to the side. With🌟 Nicolas Jackson
and the returning Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea have two players who will combine to
offer much more to the🌟 team that Ronaldo's individual options.
Warren might fancy
himself as auxiliary agent in the football world but Chelsea are too smart🌟 even if this
did ever become a thing.
From a player at one end of the career spectrum to another and
🌟 attention turns to the opposite end of the pitch. In defence Chelsea are preparing for
yet more change. There could🌟 be at least three of the current crop departing in the
next six months with three of those possibilities to🌟 go next month.
The current flavour
of choice is Sporting CP's Ousmane Diomande. At 20 years old he cetainly fits the🌟 bill
for New Chelsea signings and dipping into the Portuguese league has become a more
common occurence in recent windows🌟 too.
Reports state that the Ivorian has a £69million
($87m) release clause and that he has been watched by Chelsea in🌟 recent weeks. Scouts
are said to have been in attendance as Sporting took on Porto last week with attention
also🌟 on Gyokeres.
So, with Chalobah on his way, Silva a doubt to stay on at Stamford
Bridge for much longer, is🌟 going big on another young defender the answer and if so,
what will the scouting mission have shown?
football.london says: Chelsea🌟 may well need
a new defender in the coming months but to effectively replace a 39-year-old with
someone that hasn't🌟 played in England before would be a bold and, dare we say it, risky
and wrong move. The backline is🌟 already lacking in much experience and largely consists
of new players to the first team, asking Diomande to change this🌟 and have a positive
impact is a big call.
He also doesn't come cheap. As was the case with Disasi, there
🌟 would be questions over what Diomande can bring that Chalobah cannot. The Englishman is
versatile - he can even play🌟 in midfield - and is homegrown. This actually appears to
work against him given that selling off Cobham graduates for🌟 pure profit is one of the
new ownership's ways to make up for poor recruitment and planning.
There is no doubt
🌟 that Diomande is promising, though, and his physical attributes as well as ball-playing
and carrying ability make him extremely desireable.🌟 Just how that combines with a
Chelsea team lacking much identity isn't clear.
Diomande himself can play in a back
three🌟 and four as a right sided, central option or full-back. Push him to wing-back and
there would be little problem🌟 on occasion too. Against Porto he played the full 90
minutes in a 2-0 win, completing two clearances, an interception,🌟 half of his ground
duels, all of his aerial battles and offered plenty of variety in possession.
It is
clear to🌟 see why he is just so popular but in terms of value for money right now and
fitting the profile🌟 of just what Chelsea need, it's far from certain.
