24 January 2023 , 10:58
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Where do you even begin with Chelsea’s transfer business?
The viral Twitter cartoon which starts with Todd Boehly bidding 400million dollars for Benfica’s Enzo Fernandez because “he has just won a World Series” is brutal to say the least.
But last Saturday suggested Boehly has actually bankrolled an exciting new team mid-season that should end the campaign in better shape than the one which started it.
Road-tested at Liverpool, Chelsea 2023 had more legs, more energy and more potential than the turgid, leaky underachievers beaten in seven of their ten games between October 29 and January 12.
Winger Mykaylo Mudryk showed enough to excite fans and neutrals after that £88.5million hijack to frustrate Arsenal. Defender Benoit Badiashile looked impressive alongside Thiago Silva in defence and Kai Havertz appeared more energised in the false nine.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
Add soon-to-be-fit again full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James, Joao Felix up front - once his suspension ends - and a defensive midfielder and Chelsea could be set to move back up the table.
Here’s the thing: With just a week left of the transfer window, more than a few of the players unlikely to make the club’s 25-man Premier League squad will be joining the almighty scramble for the exit door.
The likes of striker Timo Werner, winger Callum Hudson-Odoi and left-back Marcos Alonso all read the tea leaves and got out last summer while they could.
What do you think Chelsea's most important bit of business will be before the transfer window shuts? Let us know here
Mykhaylo Mudryk joined Chelsea for £87million this month
Graham Potter and Todd Boehly in conversation at Chelsea training (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)Largely because nothing is obvious in terms of the decision-making at Stamford Bridge. Especially as the club took a 25-man squad to their warm-weather training camp in Abu Dhabi during the World Cup which included 12 academy players.
Left-back Lewis Hall has impressed since in the top flight while winger Omari Hutchinson played in the Premier League and FA Cup defeats to Manchester City. So the more experienced Chelsea stars could be forgiven for considering their options. with the sands shifting at Stamford Bridge.
The club is sniffing around Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, Everton striker Anthony Gordon and midfielder Amadou Onana and Lyon right-back Malo Gusto. And just for good measure, Chelsea are set to reopen talks with Benfica for their £100million midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
At the very least, that should be that for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who you’d imagine will be leading the exodus in search of regular first-team football. But Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana could yet stay to get used to English football instead of being farmed out on loan.
Winger Hakim Ziyech has a posse of clubs after him after being denied the chance to go to AC Milan in the summer. He looked more like the Qatar model who impressed with Morocco when he started at Anfield last weekend.
He is also unlikely to accept staying beyond this window with Chelsea bringing in Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke to join Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic.
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Although there is talk that Sterling could already be surplus to requirements following the new influx, you’d imagine Potter will be imploring the club to retain his vast experience of winning four Premier league titles.
Newcastle are among the clubs said to be keen on Pulisic who simply hasn’t shown the consistency to command a regular first-team place.
Chelsea are trying to persuade Brighton to sell them Moises Caicedo (Getty Images)In midfield, Chelsea have more players than they can count. Yet, fascinatingly, they do not yet have one comparable to Ngolo Kante, hence the interest in Caicedo and Onana.
Ruben Loftus Cheek represents a terrific loan option for the second half of the season for a West Ham, an Everton, a Leicester or an Aston Villa. So too Conor Gallagher who has struggled to make himself a regular starter. Palace will be back in for him.
Clubs across Europe will be also waiting for the green light to move for Chelsea's Brazilian teenager Andrey Santos, signed earlier this month from Vasco da Gama for an initial £13million plus a further £7m in add-ons.
Jorginho will likely make it to the summer but he has often looked his age (31) and he is out of contract at the end of the season.
In defence, Cesar Azpilicueta will have had the blow of being denied the chance to join Barcelona last summer softened by the lucrative new deal he was handed at the age of 33.
He might well give it to the summer to decide on his next move but Trevoh Chalobah has appeared shaky and will almost certainly be wondering where he stands once Wesley Fofana returns from injury in the next two to three weeks.
Kalidou Koulibaly, the club’s £33million capture from Napoli, is currently on the bench but you’d imagine Chelsea and Potter will want to call on his experience in the Champions League.
Benoit Badiashile's arrival has gone smoothly (Getty Images)Neither Kepa nor Mendy will be allowed to leave this month but the summer will be interesting with both men having lost their way over this season.
Chelsea - who have shown themselves not to be bothered by their previous massive spending - already have 18-year-old Gabriel Slonina training with them following his £12m move from MLS side Chicago Fire. They are also big fans of Brentford keeper David Raya.
They wouldn’t, would they?