Chelsea must spend the Oscar money in the January transfer window

The January transfer window is over halfway over, and Chelsea have money in their pocket collecting dust. The Blues cannot afford to let the window close without purchasing new players.

Chelsea are flush with cash that they earmarked for this transfer window. The accounts were bolstered by the massive transfer fee of Oscar. Yet the Blues have one “signing” to show for it – Nathan Ake. But that is the footballing equivalent of having a friend return what they borrowed. Chelsea did not really gain anything from Ake’s recall.

Rumors of potential signings have flown from all corners of the tabloids and newspapers.  None have come to fruition yet. Understandably, Antonio Conte and Chelsea want to find the right kind of player to bolster the squad on the back end of the season. Chelsea cannot buy just to buy. They must buy players that will strengthen the squad.

In the January window, such a players are true rarities. Teams do not want to sell their best players halfway through a season. If they are willing to do so there is a January markup. Chelsea are either being extremely secretive and selective of targets, or that they are saving the cash for the summer when targets are more available.

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The former would be understandable. Chelsea do not want rivals to know who they are going after. They also want to make sure they get a player who will not be a dud.

The latter possibility, though, would be a great mistake for the Blues. Chelsea currently have more cash on hand than nearly every other club. They should use their financial advantage to pursue aggressively the necessary targets to better the team.

It is a myth that transfer targets will be easier to acquire in the summer. Nearly all the top clubs in the world will be looking to strengthen then. Barcelona or Real Madrid (whichever fails to win La Liga) will be looking to overtake the other. Paris-Saint Germain will be looking to rebuild after a season in which their dominance has dulled. Bundesliga clubs will be their usual merry go round. And Serie A clubs will be looking for ways to overcome Juventus.

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Most important to Chelsea, however, is that almost all their Premier League rivals will be looking to better what they have. In such a tight league, whoever fails to win the title will be asking the question “why not us?” Their solution will be to spend, and spend big.

Manchester City and potentially Arsenal (if they finally get a new manager) will be completely overhauling the squad. Manchester United, Spurs, and Liverpool will be splashing cash in hopes that it will push them over the top.

Chelsea will be competing for world class talent with every top club in the world except Bayern Munich (who have already spent for the summer), Juventus, and Barcelona/Real Madrid. The market will be utterly saturated with money. Every club will be in a bidding war with another. This will drive the costs of players up to, say, something matching January markups.

Chelsea must use their cash advantage hand now, rather than save it. As soon as Antonio Conte finds the right target, the club must go after them aggressively.

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In the summer, two or three other clubs will be going after the same player. Chelsea need to put themselves ahead of the pack by starting their buying now, not later.