A transfer window is approaching so naturally everyone has an idea of who Chelsea must buy. But the club needs to focus on availability first and foremost.
The transfer window is easy. A club submits a bid a bit over market value, they negotiate with the player, and the transfer is done. And then people turn off their PlayStation and go about their lives.
Of course, the real life transfer window is vastly more complicated than FIFA makes it out to be. There are agents, sponsors, conflicting interests, and player wishes to contend with. Many fans want Chelsea to sign this player or that player because they would be ideal.
But being ideal rarely syncs up with being available. Chelsea is a club of great resources and it is alluring to think they can buy any player in the world whenever they want. But the truth is far more complicated. The Blues, if they want to strengthen in the market, needs to look at available players. They may not be the ideal, but beggars cannot be choosers.
The debate has largely unfolded around the winger spot. Christian Pulisic has been the heaviest linked in the past week but fans are not totally on board. After all, the Blues need a right winger who can approach Eden Hazard’s production (as they have needed ever since Hazard joined the club). But Pulisic is far from a statistical phenomenon when it comes to the hard stats of goals and assists. So fans point to the more ideal choices.
Fans prefer Malcom or Leon Bailey or Wilfried Zaha. All three players produce goals and assists so would easily slot into Chelsea. But are they available? Malcom surely is not after just joining Barcelona. Bailey is in a similar situation as Pulisic but Bayer Leverkusen seem to be more willing to play hardball than Dortmund would be. And Zaha is the crown prince of Crystal Palace and the club and player are unlikely to want to change that situation.
So where does that leave Chelsea? Well it leads the club back to a player like Pulisic who is far more available than the others. Dortmund will have to cash in soon or see a golden goose go for free. German clubs are used to that (often to Bayern Munich) but they would love to get something for the young American.
Of course, Dortmund’s sporting director has said Pulisic will stay, which in theory puts the winger on the unavailable pile. Then again, the sporting director made similar comments last season about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the striker still moved to Arsenal.
All of this is done under the shadow of a potential transfer ban so the Blues may feel the itch to rush out and sign a surplus of players to survive the ban. But just as an unavailable player is not the ideal player to chase, neither is every single available player.
If a ban occurs, the Blues will need to be smart with who they bring in. Available players should be priority one, but only if they improve the squad and will continue to do so for several years.