Chelsea FC transfer rumours: Radja Nainggolanza bonanza highlights deeper problems
Something something Chelsea FC, something something Radja Nainggolan. Something Antonio Conte, something something something the AS Roma midfielder.
According to yet another Radja Report, this time from The Telegraph, Antonio Conte isn’t giving up on prying Radja Nainggolan from the steely hands of AS Roma. Why would he? He’s Chelsea now. Even though he’s been to the training ground once and will be at the helm for a number of Azzurri matches before coming to Cobham, he is Chelsea. And Chelsea don’t give up. Chelsea keep fighting; determined, focused, and undeterred in the quest to capture the prize that is rightfully ours. Remember Munich? WE WILL FIGHT IN THE SHADE.
"Nainggolan is the No 1 target of incoming head coach Antonio Conte and Chelsea have already seen one bid rejected for the 28-year-old. Chelsea will have to up their offer to around £32 million to convince Roma to sell and must also hand Nainggolan a significant pay rise to move to the Premier League."
Well, until it doesn’t work and the resulting shame and dysfunction culminate in the worst title defense ever.
Chelsea are stuck bargain-shopping at yacht shows
Rumors are rumors, sure, and you can’t stop the #content machine from producing #content, but that the same ones endlessly orbit Chelsea seems redundant and a symptom of a larger problem.
This problem is why every Nainggolan rumor results in mockery on every CFC site and subsequent message board: it’s already so similar to the John Stones situation that we hide our tears with satire. Touting Nainggolan as top priority while underbidding for his services is a song we all hate yet know all the words to.
The problem this points to is Chelsea still being confused as to how to get what we want in order to sustain the success we desire. It isn’t that hard: either promote and enact a system that spots, signs, and develops talent that doesn’t already have a +£40 million price tag, or, have the boldness to break negotiating tables under satchels of cash.
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Chelsea, instead, are stuck somewhere in the middle, bargain-shopping at yacht shows. Which is how you end up picking up a Djilobodji and a Rahman on the drive home.
Instead, Nainggolan rumors round Chelsea like a second moon until even the player gets so annoyed that he makes declarations of loyalty at end of season banquets. Indeed if you listen to the mohawked Belgian most recent quotes you’d assume that enlarging a photo of Roma’s logo will reveal Radja to be one of the twins suckling from the teat of the Capitoline Wolf. Yes yes, noble warrior, you are noble and good.
It’s hard to blame him, though. Chelsea are puttering about like a boy who wants to tell a girl he likes her but is instead staring awkwardly from a nearby corner. Occasionally we clear our throat in her general direction, but it’s more creepy than endearing.
Still, it’s early. The transfer window is still over a month from officially opening and this could all seem moot should Chelsea decide to throw their fiscal weight around once again. So we wait. The familiarity causes nervous tics to worsen as days and rumors drag on and we longingly await Breaking News.
Next: Chelsea FC player evaluations 2015/16: Eden Hazard
I suppose the only silver lining is that if the failure over a name as simple as John Stones can result in a Baba Rahman and Papy Djilobodji, I’ll tie my fingers in knots trying to type whatever names come after a Radja Nainggolan failure.