Ahead of a confusing weekend where Wednesday falls on a Sunday, here are three things to keep the Chelsea corner of your brain sharp and alert.
Chelsea are in the last week of the transfer window, and the rumour mill is quieter than ever. As the Blues bounce between the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup, we’re thinking about some longer-term threads around the club.
1. Snap judgments, slow actions
Maurizio Sarri knew in August – if not July – who he wanted for his best XI plus three substitutes. His Europa League Six were less a product of choice than simply the leftovers from his training camp cull. Gary Cahill, Victor Moses, Davide Zappacosta and – god bless him – Danny Drinkwater all knew their fate before the Blues won their third game.
Yet it took until January 25 for Chelsea to complete Moses’ loan to Fenerbahce. Chelsea, Fulham and Cahill could not reach an agreement over wages, and Cahill was supposedly not interested in a relegation battle. Zappacosta is waiting on something to happen with Lazio, and Drinkwater has not had any interest from anyone.
At least Cesc Fabregas was able to move on to a better, more stable and productive situa – – … mother of god.
Chelsea have had five months to make arrangements for these players. Their failure to do so is yet another consequence of not having a technical director, nor anyone else whose job is to look out for the footballing careers of everyone under contract at the club, from U17’s to Champions League, Europe League, two-time Premier League, World Cup-playing club captains.
Yes, these players are professionals and adults with agents whose job is precisely this. But the club are the gatekeepers: they grant permission for negotiations to take place, they shop around offers and they sit at the table to make the deals possible.
Chelsea have done a better job reassigning their loanees who only reappeared within the last month than finding a good situation for players who have served the club to varying extents.
As per usual, Chelsea have been unprepared to act upon very public decisions made months ago. This is just one more aspect of the club’s management that will make it harder to recruit the best players down the road. Someone should tell them that they may be limited to eight loanees and be working under a transfer ban within the next year. Don’t count on them to know about it already.