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January panic-buying is not the answer to Chelsea’s situation

By Ajitesh Rasgotra

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Antonio Conte, Manager of Chelsea looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Chelsea at London Stadium on December 9, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 09: Antonio Conte, Manager of Chelsea looks on prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Chelsea at London Stadium on December 9, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s squad is neither strong nor deep. However, the Blues should not dive head-first into an inflated mid-season transfer window to remedy their problems.

Chelsea let Antonio Conte down over the summer. Despite winning the Premier League last season, the Blues needed to widen and strengthen their squad to cope with the heavier schedule in this campaign. They didn’t buy the right players and Chelsea now find themselves out of the title race.

However, many fans are calling for the club to make an assault on the January transfer market to compensate. That’s a terrible idea.

The latest reports claim that the Blues are targeting Monaco’s Thomas Lemar. The Frenchman would likely require Chelsea to break their transfer record.

Lemar is valued at around £80 million and would sell for that in the summer. In January, though, Monaco would probably slap a chunky premium on that. They have to take into account the cost of losing a star player midway through the season. They can also take advantage of Chelsea’s clear desperation to push the price even higher.

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Both Conte and the club hierarchy should realise that there is little point in breaking the bank in January. With their title defence over, the new focus is on the top four and the Champions League. A top four finish is achievable with the current squad. The strongest Chelsea team can match Europe’s elite on their day, but winning the Champions League is a tough ask. One overpriced January addition will do little to change that and players like Lemar will be cup-tied anyway.

Hence, the club should ignore the social media warriors and hold out until the summer. Business may take longer at the end of the season, but the desperation price premium is removed.

Moreover, the Blues can properly go back to the drawing board and figure out where they need new players. Some of the current squad may also be on their way out at the end of the season, either on loan or permanently, so the extra income from any deals can be also accounted for.

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Last summer was appalling and there is much catching up to do. However, Chelsea must not be tempted to apply any quick-fixes in January. If they were still in the title race, that would be more reasonable. But they’re not. Hold off the panic-buying and wait until the summer.

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