Chelsea: Gatekeeping transfer rumors takes on a familiar tone

A little over a year ago now, Chelsea needed a left back. Frank Lampard only had eyes for Ben Chilwell despite the player costing more than the alternatives. Speaking of those alternatives, there was a significant portion that felt they would be better targets. Nicolas Tagliafico of Ajax looked the statistician’s choice, while Sergio Reguilon looked to be the player for the future. Alex Telles, meanwhile, seemed to be the surest bet of all.

The reasons for not wanting Chilwell often came down to price but stats were thrown about plenty as well. At the end of the window, all but Tagliafico had moved to or within the Premier League. Chelsea got Ben Chilwell (for much less than advertised in the rumors) and he immediately justified the call. No Chelsea fan can seriously say he hasn’t been the best of the choices.

Fast forward to this summer and much of the same can be said about Declan Rice rumors. He would be expensive but the main issues seem to come with (from the boo boy point of view) every single alternative being better. There is a very strange tangent about wanting Declan Rice being an affront to current Chelsea players. In short, the gatekeeping on rumors has gotten weird.

One would think that Thomas Tuchel’s supposed interest in Rice would be enough to sell fans, but it hasn’t been. Some of it is that other players are a priority. That’s true so long as Chelsea stays with their current 3-4-3. Anything else likely requires a defensive midfielder of Rice’s ilk.

But the real issue seems to be those calling for Rice being perceived as biased against current Chelsea players. As with many things, this somehow comes back to Jorginho which doesn’t really make a ton of sense. While the Italian has been criticized (and quite rightfully so at times), there has been very little of that in recent months. But the streets don’t forget and somehow the line was drawn between wanting Rice and undervaluing Jorginho.

Mind, if Chelsea stays in a 3-4-3, it’s Billy Gilmour that likely makes way for a Rice signing. Long term, N’Golo Kante or Jorginho would due to age but for this next season would surely trigger a Gilmour loan. But, realistically, the whole idea of wanting Rice being an affront to current players falls apart under the briefest of examinations.

Ask these people upset about fans asking for Rice what they think of Erling Haaland or Achraf Hakimi. They’ll likely be found on Fabrizio Romano’s Twitter begging for news on the players. When confronted about current Chelsea players, they’ll likely say something about “they’ll have to compete for a spot” or “we need world class talent now not potential”. All the while oblivious to the contradictions over their handwringing on Rice.

Why do some fans want Rice? Well there is his history at Chelsea and a sense of business unfinished. There is his connection with Mason Mount and Chilwell. The boo boys spent the best part of the last two seasons questioning why Mount was playing and why anyone rated him and they spent last summer begging for anyone but Chilwell. Now it’s all about Rice but they’ll be all too eager to beg for Haaland or Hakimi. Also, there is the small detail of Rice being a Premier League proven midfielder that ticks all the boxes for a midfielder that Chelsea needs.

Chelsea needs signings this summer. Someone who can be a source of goals (directly or indirectly) is priority one, two, and three. Hakimi is a bit of a frivolous buy but if Reece James’ future is somewhere besides wingback, it makes sense. Rice too would be an excellent signing.

The point is don’t gatekeep rumors in the most contradictory of ways. And “back the manager” seemingly stops when the manager wants a player people don’t think is regista or mezalla or trequartista or FIFA 21 enough. Wanting transfer targets isn’t an affront to current players, it’s just normal summer business. Just, don’t be silly about who is okay to want and who isn’t.