We are barely two weeks into the summer transfer window and we have already been bombarded by a litany of transfer rumours and gossip. From the frightfully optimistic to the down right bizarre, we’ve been led to believe we’ve seen it all. Yet, with over two months remaining of silly season, I feel we’ve barely scratched the tip of the iceberg in terms of the wheeling and dealing of both Premier League transfers, and other business around Europe.
Big money moves have already taken place, and some of the continents elite clubs have already capitalised in the market, and strengthened their already watertight squads. In recent weeks English champions Manchester City forked out over £60million to bring in one of the deadliest talents in world football, Erling Haaland. And barely a week later, title challengers Liverpool threw their proverbial cap in the ring and signed up Uruguayan wonder-kid Darwin Nunez from Benfica for a reported fee of up to £85million.
With their closest league rivals getting their business done early, it is of paramount importance that West London club Chelsea start to splash the cash. After a fairly mundane season in which the Blues finished 3rd and won the Club World Cup, German manager Thomas Tuchel will want to bring in reinforcements in order for his team to achieve their aspirations next term. And with new cash rich owners in Todd Boehly and his consortium, it looks as though the manager will be backed, and arrivals will be coming through the door shortly. The sale of the football club last month obviously threw a spanner in the works regarding transfer deals. And whilst the club were under financial sanctions, business had to be halted to a stop. This is one of the main reasons as to why the Blues are yet to register anyone new. And after hearing yesterday’s news that both Chairman Bruce Buck and Director Marina Granovskaia will be leaving the club with immediate affect, the future of transfer dealings will be left to (for the time being) Todd Boehly.
In his incredibly brief time in this role, the owner has already brokered a deal to send want away striker Romelu Lukaku back out on loan to Inter Milan. And now that that arduous task has been complete. Hopefully all the incoming deals will pick up a bit of traction. And these incoming deals are exactly what we are going to talk about today. As previously mentioned, the window has barely been open a fortnight, and yet we’ve seen an abundance of transfer rumours suggesting players X or Y are coming to Chelsea football club. And today, it is my job to rate them all. Obviously a bit of hyperbole here as I’m going to delve into some of the more interesting/ concrete rumours that may have some substance to them. Once discussed a will give a rating out of 10 to indicate how likely I feel the transfer will happen. Yet, it’s worth considering that I rate these rumours on an individual basis, therefore if one centre back is signed, then it would obviously be less likely that a second is signed. But that is not taken into account when making these rankings.
Jules Koundé – Sevilla (Centre back)
We start with a transfer rumour that has been buzzing around since last summer. It’s been well documented that Chelsea have scouted the 23 year old Frenchman incessantly, and that personal terms have already been agreed with the defender. Yet there has been no formal bid ever submitted. It has been reported that a fee of around £50million should be enough to get this deal across the line, but the London club may have to pick up the pace as other clubs appear to be circling. Spanish giants Barcelona have been linked to Koundé in recent days, and Spanish media suggest that the deal is likely to happen. With this being said, reliable English journalists have confirmed that Jules has a preference to move to the premier league.
In regards to why Chelsea would want to sign the youngster, it is pretty apparent. Stalwart CB Antonio Rüdiger has recently left the club to join Real Madrid, and long time serving defender Andreas Christensen has also departed after his contract expired. This in turn created a massive hole at the heart of Chelsea’s defence. Thiago Silva has been ever reliable in the two years he has been at Stamford Bridge, but at 37, the club need to look towards the future. And Jules Koundé’s future is certainly bright. He has forced his way into a very talented French national side and has earned 11 caps, whilst also playing at the highest level in Spain. He’s a tenacious tackler, with a great work ethic, and is overall a sublime athlete. A player of his qualities is worth picking up while you have the chance. And that is exactly what I feel Chelsea will look to do. The buzz around Barcelona seems to just be paper talk, and it won’t surprise me if Koundé is the first major signing of the Todd Boehly era.
Prediction – 8/10
Richarlison – Everton (striker)
This rumour appears to have completely come out of the blue. Despite battling to avoid relegation last year, Richarlison was the bright spark in an otherwise depressing season for Everton. In 30 league games, the Brazilian scored 10 goals and assisted a further 5, many of these goals were vitally important in terms of the Toffees survival. Richarlison is a tireless worker with good finishing ability and is very energetic off the ball. He offers an attitude that you hate playing against, yet would love if he was on your team. These are all traits that may appeal to manager Thomas Tuchel. However, I just don’t feel that the 25 year old striker is a top target for Chelsea. After signing for Everton in 2018 for £50million, I can’t see the northern side wanting anything less to sell their main man. And I don’t feel he has done enough to justify that price tag.
London rivals Tottenham have also been rumoured to have shown interest in the player, and I feel that the Blues won’t want to get into a bidding war for a player that hasn’t topped 14 league goals in the 5 seasons he’s spent in England. This is where I feel that Chelsea and Todd Boehly should be smart with their business. Although Richarlison does display similar attributes to Chelsea great Diego Costa, they have a ready made player already in Albanian frontman Armando Broja. Broja offers a very similar style of play to Richarlison, but will end up costing the team nothing. And even if he doesn’t work out as the teams primary #9 then it’s nothing lost, as opposed to the potential 60million(ish) with Richarlison. All in all, I don’t think this rumour has much legs, and I believe the Blues will be looking to acquire more established talent, should they get out the cheque book for a striker.
Prediction – 4/10
Jonathan Clauss – Lens (right back)
At 29 years of age, French wingback Jonathan Clauss has really started showing the form of a top defender. After impressing in the last two league campaigns, Clauss was included in the Ligue Un team of the year after both seasons. He has also been awarded with 4 international caps for his efforts. This is impressive considering the talent pool France manager Didier Deschamps has on offer. This past year has been the veterans most impressive year to date. It really was a historic term as the marauding wingback scored 5 league goals and assisted a further 11 for his teammates. These are record breaking numbers for a defender in the French first division.
With a reported price tag of €10million, it seems like a no brainier for the Blues owner. Injuries sustained to star man Reece James throughout this past season really hampered Thomas Tuchel’s style of play. And bringing in a guy that can fill in that role seamlessly for cheap almost seems to good to be true. Though Clauss isn’t as much of a physical specimen as the Englishman, he does have a great cross on him, and his defensive numbers are very respectable. The deal would also give Tuchel the versatility to move Reece to right centre back, where the youngster has deputised the position well in the past. In terms of a deal for the Frenchman, there doesn’t look to be many challengers for the players signature, so this may be able to be a cheap and quick deal to get done ASAP. Get him through the door Boehly.
Prediction – 7/10
Raheem Sterling – Manchester City (winger)
Manchester City letting go of one of their most bright and consistent talents over the past half a decade seems almost like a backwards move for a side with European title aspirations. However, with the inclusion of Erling Haaland into Pep Guardiola’s side, the English winger may be looking for a change of scenery. On his day the dominative winger is a real game changer and offers so much to his team. He’s electrically quick, with the agility of a cat. But on top of that he knows where the back of the goal is. The 27 year old has scored double digit league goals in his last 5 campaigns. And he’s already the 3rd highest scoring winger in league history, and yet he has so much more left to give. One issue that Chelsea have faced in recent seasons since star man Eden Hazard left Stamford Bridge, is that they don’t have wingers who can score goals. Neither Pulisic, Ziyech, Hudson-Odoi or Timo Werner have ever scored more than 10 league goals in a campaign. And Sterling could certainly be the one to change that statistic.
Reported fees for the Englishman have ranged widely from as little as £35 million all the way up to £60 million. Throwing my two cents into the matter, I’d say bite City’s hand off for anything below £45million if possible. He fills a position of need and it looks as though he may be willing to leave the Etihad. And considering Sterling is a London boy, it’s almost a perfect fit. Reports in recent weeks (from multiple sources) have strongly pushed this rumour, so it really wouldn’t surprise me if this deal has the legs to go all the way.
Prediction 7/10
Ousmane Dembélé – Barcelona (winger)
For over a year now I’ve been banging the drum for Chelsea to sign Dembélé. On his day, the Frenchman is genuinely world class, and has a lot to offer to a top team. His contract is set to run out this summer, and he’ll be free to speak to other clubs as a free agent. Reports in recent weeks have strongly linked Ousmane to his former manager Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea. Varying reports have suggested that this deal has been nearing completion for some time now, but in recent days the player has been linked with the possibility of remaining at Barcelona should Xavi agree to his contractual demands. It really does appear to be a two horse race.
Should new owner Todd Boehly be serious about bringing in more success to Chelsea, then this is certainly a deal he should be looking to pursue. The player will cost £0 in transfer fees and he offers creativity and goal scoring threat that most Chelsea players are currently lacking. Dembélé assisted 13 goals in just 21 La Liga games last term, which just highlights what the player can bring to Tuchel’s side. One caveat to the signing is the 25 year olds extensive injury history. This has seen him miss a mass of games during his 5 year stay in Catalonia. But should the relatively young player be able to shake off this bad injury habit, then he could be an invaluable asset for years to come.
Prediction – 6/10
Gabriel Jesus – Manchester City (striker)
We now move onto the second Manchester City player on this list, and look at the supremely talented Gabriel Jesus. Jesus redefined his role under Guardiola this year, as we say the player have a successful spell playing out on the wing. Pair this versatility with his natural ability to score goals from the striker position and you’ve got yourself a near complete forward. One thing currently holding back Jesus from being a world beater is that he has yet to become prolific in front of goal. In his 5 1/2 years in Manchester he has only topped double digits for league goals twice. Though this is understandable considering he was playing behind a Premier League great in Sergio Aguero. I truly believe that the 25 year old Brazilian would be fantastic under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel. The German manager likes his team playing best when his attack is fluid and mobile. And this is exactly what Jesus could offer alongside the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz. Also, the thought of him being a teams primary #9 could spur him on top top his goal scoring feats with ease.
In terms of a transfer fee, Manchester City have quoted around £50 million for the player with just over a year left on his current deal. And seeing as how he looks to be surplus to requirement at the Etihad, it looks as though clubs have started circling for the striker. Though Chelsea may be the most appealing club to the player, due to being able to offer Champions League football, it appears London rivals Arsenal are favourites for the players signature. Many British journalists have claimed that a deal is nearing completion, and could be finalised within the coming weeks. Therefore you have to question whether Chelsea were ever really in the running at all.
Prediction – 3/10
Matthijs De Ligt – Juventus (centre back)
Sky Italia have been reporting this week that Chelsea have enquired about the services of Dutch defender Matthijs De Ligt. Though it is abundantly apparent that the West London side are in the market for a centre back I just can’t see De Ligt being their main target. At just 22 the youngster does have a lot to offer the Premier League side. A big physical presence at the back, Matthijs is strong in the tackle and dominant in the air. But with that being said, he hasn’t lived up to his peak days back at Ajax during the 18/19 campaign where he shone as a 19 year old. At such a young age he captained his side to a champions league semi final, which just demonstrates how strong of a character the player is. Features like these would be well welcomed into Tuchel’s side, but a potential deal does come with risk.
As previously mentioned, he hasn’t excelled since making the step up into Italian football, and who’s to say he will play well in England (arguably the most competitive league in Europe). And it has been reported that Juve will be willing to sell only if offers in excess of €80million come in for the player. And Chelsea really can’t afford another high profile flop. However that being said, at only 22 the youngster has a lot more room for growth and easily could captain the Blues in a couple of years time. I see this as a potential good signing, but just not quite the right signing.
Prediction – 4/10
Declan Rice – West Ham (central midfield)
Now for the deal that everyone’s been waiting for. Young player leaves Chelsea, young player plays well, Chelsea look to buy that player back for mega bucks. It’s a tale as old as time. But it’s no more apparent than with Declan Rice. Manager Thomas Tuchel has public ally shown admiration for the 23 year old, 32 time capped England international. Rice is a superb young talent who has helped elevate his West Ham team to European competition regulars. As well as this, he was instrumental in England’s run to the final of the Euros. Considering all his great qualities, which include leadership and exemplary defensive ability, it’s no wonder the big teams are circling. His old club Chelsea look to be the most interested, and from what I can pick up in interviews, he would welcome a move back to the Bridge. He is very good friends with Mason Mount, and maybe Tuchel will look to replicate that chemistry on the field. Given all of Rice’s great qualities, it’s no wonder that there has been such a hefty price tag lumped on the youngster. Anywhere between 75-120 million has been quoted, and it’s clear that West Ham won’t want to get rid of their young captain if they don’t have to.
Due to these astronomical evaluations, it does bring into question whether Chelsea should pursue such a deal. Certainly prowling through Twitter I can see that the idea of Rice signing for such a fee has caused a rift in the fan base. Regardless of price he does fill a position of need. The Blues were carved up through the centre of midfield all too often last year, and though players such as Kante and Jorginho has terrific defensive numbers, they don’t have the ability to hold down the low lying position anymore like the players of the past such as Claude Makalele could. Rice would fit like a glove in this team, but I’m not sure Boehly will be willing to splash that sort of cash this summer. I can definitely see this deal happening, maybe just not quite yet.
Prediction – 5/10
Neymar – PSG (winger)
Now you’ll have to take this rumour with a pinch of salt. No notable journalists have reported on this deal, but it has more so been the Chelsea fans connecting the dots. Since PSG star Kylian Mbappé put pen to paper on a mega money contract to stay in France, it has been reported that the PSG brass are willing to let their Brazilian wonder boy leave in order to subsidise some of their wages. It’s been said that they have also been underwhelmed by his lack of minutes since joining from Barcelona in 2017 for a world record £220million. And as previously mentioned Chelsea are severely lacking a goal scoring winger, and Neymar fits that profile. There have also been reports that new American owner Todd Boehly has been in the market for a ‘marquee’ signing, and if Neymar doesn’t fit that bill, nobody does.
Playing just 22 Ligue Un games this year, Neymar managed to contribute to 19 goals with 13 goals and 6 assists. He has also scored 3 goals in two national team appearances. At 30 years of age, it’s clear that the flair fuelled Brazilian still has a lot left in the tank. Should Boehly be willing to dip into his pocket and pay the player the astronomical wages that he’s requested, then we could be looking at the Premier Leagues next big star. But like most good things, it is simply a fantasy signing. I’d almost be willing to bet my mortgage that nothing materialises. But should a deal go through, I may be homeless but at least I’d be watching some samba football at the Bridge next season.
Prediction – 2/10
Forgotten Footballers 