Clubs are testing Chelsea’s commitment during the transfer ban

Chelsea remains under a transfer ban until further notice. Other clubs are testing the Blues’ commitment going forward with their transfer bids.

Chelsea’s transfer ban puts the club out of the market for at least this summer and January (in its current state). As a result, it is widely expected that the club will dip into the loan army and the academy to paper over the cracks.

Using the younger players has long been a desire of both the club and fans. It is likely well known to other clubs as well which is why they are testing how far Chelsea is willing to commit to the kids or older players.

Despite being unable to replace them, several players have been linked to moves away. Under normal circumstances, they would be offers too good to refuse. Other clubs are trying to take advantage of Chelsea’s own desires for a youth revolution when the club cannot react as effectively.

The most stand out examples are Marcos Alonso and Willian. At 28 and 30, both players are heading towards the down slope of their career. Many fans would be happy to see either go, especially at some of the rumored transfer fees. But the club knows that the options to fill in are not as good and they have been hesitant.

Most recently has been the case of Kurt Zouma. He is clearly Premier League quality and could fill a vital role for Chelsea. But David Luiz’s extension and the fact that neither player is homegrown makes it harder to justify holding on to Zouma. Regardless of who ends up starting at centerback, Chelsea would have several nonhomegrown centerbacks in reserve which the club may see as unnecessary. Everton can see this and are testing the waters for who might be Chelsea’s most expendable player thanks to Luiz’s extension.

Then Maurizio Sarri wants Emerson and Jorginho to join him at Juventus, because for all the talk of being willing to coach the players he has, Sarri has a habit of getting players he has already coached previously. Even with Jay Dasilva in reserve, it seems unlikely that Chelsea would move either leftback on with the ban this summer. And though the club is tripping over an oddball mishmashed group of midfielders, Jorginho would not leave for anything less than an astronomical price.

But other clubs know that Chelsea wants to use their loan army and academy and that the club will likely not balk if the price is right. They are merely trying to find where that line is for these players. And if they can find it, they can likely force the Blues into a sale that they otherwise would not have considered. It is a test of resolve and commitment on the part of all parties.

Whether or not Chelsea sells any of these players will come down to the price and how much they trust the fill in from the academy or the loan army. Alonso and Emerson would both be filled in by Dasilva but is he ready to deputize? Zouma could just as easily be a starter as he could be on the bench and centerback is hardly an issue area. Willian is safe because Chelsea simply lacks wingers of quality in the loan army or academy, but a formation change could make things very different. And Jorginho, despite his faults and a loaded midfield, still offers something the other midfielders do not.

With Petr Cech now in place, the club will be able to forge more of a long term vision than previously able. One of his first duties will be to determine whether these players do have a price and whether it is justified by their replacements. How far does Chelsea’s commitment go? Clubs will keep testing to find out all summer.