Kasey Palmer signed a four-year contract extension with Chelsea, and will return to Huddersfield for another season on loan. This increases the chances that the Blues will sell his teammate and Terrier transfer target Isaiah Brown.
Kasey Palmer and Isaiah Brown played significant roles in Huddersfield Town’s return to the Premier League. Huddersfield manager David Wagner understandably wanted the duo to continue what they started and help the Terriers avoid the yo-yo. However, Premier League rules prohibit a club from having more than one player from another Premier League team.
With Chelsea and Kasey Palmer agreeing to another four years together (at least on paper), Huddersfield will have to buy Brown if he is to return for another season. Brown popped up in transfer rumours last week, with Huddersfield supposedly offering £8 million for him.
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The sale looks increasingly likley as Wagner builds his first top-flight squad and Chelsea continue to pare their loan ranks. Huddersfield already spent £8 million – a club record – on another 2016/17 loanee from a Premier League side: Manchester City’s Aaron Mooy.
Huddersfield’s offer for Isaiah Brown compares favourably to Chelsea’s sale of Bertrand Traore to Lyon for just over £8 million. Traore has more experience in Chelsea’s first-team than Brown, but they have had similar experiences in Chelsea’s loan system.
Both served their requisite season at Vitesse (Traore did a year and a half). Brown played the rest of his loans in England, splitting last season between relegation-bound Rotherham and promotion-bound Huddersfield. Traore, meanwhile, stayed in the Netherlands with Europa League-finalists Ajax.
Until Lyon came through with the transfer Bertrand Traore seemed a contender for Chelsea’s 2017/18 squad. Isaiah Brown seemed much further away – years, if at all – given how deep Chelsea are in midfield. Even within the loan army Brown appeared well behind Lewis Baker in the depth chart.
If Chelsea valued Bertrand Traore at £8-9 million, then they absolutely must take £8 million for Isaiah Brown if Huddersfield make a serious offer. They should include the full complement of buy-back clauses, sell-on clauses, santa clauses and any thing else that will hedge their risks and increase their long-term cash flow on Brown.
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And, if Chelsea fans are really lucky, that additonal £8 million will be the last little bit Chelsea needs to finally buy Romelu Lukaku, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alex Sandro. Since, clearly, the first £127 million of transfer revenue just is not enough.