Chelsea transfer watch shifts to courtrooms and Champions League quals
By George Perry
The Chelsea transfer mill spun out one new name and one old name on Monday. Serge Aurier and Virgil van Dijk will have Chelsea watching two unusual dramas to weigh their prospects as signings.
Old and busted: Discipline players for offensive social media posts, and unload players that fracture the locker room. New hotness: Be linked in the rumour mill with a player who slurred his coach and teammates on Periscope, and is awaiting appeal on a criminal conviction.
Chelsea had their chance to see Serge Aurier in action in February 2016, when the Blues faced Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. Aurier did not play that game, though, as PSG suspended him for comments he made about his coach and teammates in a social media video. Aurier mocked several PSG players, accused coach Laurent Blanc of favouring Zlatan Ibrahimovic and capped the night off by calling Blanc a homophobic slur.
PSG’s chairman personally involved himself in the affair, with Aurier issuing a public apology. A few months later, Aurier assaulted a police office outside a Paris nightclub. He is appealing that conviction, which is relevant not just to his criminal record but his ability to play in England.
Must Read: Gary Cahill, N'Golo Kante step up to speak on Chelsea's transfer needs
In November, UK authorities revoked his visa to enter the country, which meant he could not play in a Champions League match against Arsenal. If his conviction stands, he could not come to England, which would obviously preclude a Chelsea transfer.
After everything Chelsea endured last month with Kenedy in China and this year with Diego Costa, does Serge Aurier really sound like a worthwhile transfer target? Right, moving on.
Virgil van Dijk, on the other hand, is a worthwhile target. He made a lengthy statement on Monday providing his side of the story around his transfer request and the goings-on at Southampton this summer.
Van Dijk cited his desire to play in the Champions League as a major factor in his decision. He has repeatedly expressed how Liverpool are his preferred destination. This presents two key turning points.
Must Read: Fabregas, Morata, Luis: Takeaways from the Community Shield
Liverpool open their Champions League campaign next Tuesday, in the qualifying play-offs at Hoffenheim. The return leg is the following week. As much as van Dijk fancies Liverpool, he may hold off on a transfer until after the second leg. If Liverpool fall out of the Champions League, he may turn to Chelsea.
The other element lies with Southampton. Liverpool’s pursuit of van Dijk led to public accusations of tapping up and improper behavior. Southampton do not want to do business with the Reds, particularly if that business ends with the Reds poaching the Saints’ star.
Aside from the acrimony, Southampton may also see Liverpool as more of a rival than Chelsea. As Southampton continue their ambitious march to the top six, Liverpool are more likely to be hovering around the 4th-6th places than Chelsea. Southampton will not want van Dijk personally standing in their way in a few years.
Next: Is Chelsea's youth policy finally changing? The future of club and country
The Virgil van Dijk rumours have much more credibility than the Serge Aurier rumours. The outcome of events in a French courtroom and Champions League qualifying rounds are now a point of interest in Chelsea’s transfer window. It’s come to this.