Chelsea: Five times Marina Granovskaia won the summer transfer window

5. Confirming Atletico Madrid will buy Alvaro Morata

Chelsea loaned Alvaro Morata to Atletico Madrid in January, with a loan-to-buy clause that everyone knew Atletico would activate at some point. “At some point,” though, was not good enough for Marina Granovskaia.

Granovskaia played a game of chicken with all parties involved by threatening to recall Alvaro Morata this summer if Atletico did not agree to buy him. No one around Chelsea was beating the drum for Morata to return. Atletico did not want to lose their most productive striker. Morata must have been absolutely petrified at the prospect of returning to Stamford Bridge.

It was obvious Granovskaia was bluffing because no one, I mean absolutely no one, wanted this outcome. There weren’t even any other offers for Morata on the table. It’s not like Granovskaia could recall Morata and then flip him to another club to punish Atletico’s foolishness.

But bluffs are threats just the same, and Atletico blinked. While nothing much changes about the fee structure or the playing arrangements for this season, Chelsea now have a contact for Atletico to buy Alvaro Morata next summer for about £50 million.

He was already good as gone, but now he is certain to be off the books next summer – one less thing for Granovskaia to worry about as she resumes the business of buying new players.