The summer transfer window was an interesting one for Chelsea. They got some big signings done. Joao Pedro and Estevao, for example, are already making a major impact on the first-team. It remains to be seen how the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Facundo Buonanotte will settle in, although their Premier League experience should help. Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo and Jorrel Hato might take some time to find their feet, while Liam Delap has gotten injured.
Chelsea did miss out on quite a few of their targets as well. A lot has been made about Tottenham Hotspur swooping ahead and signing Xavi Simons although many feel that it was the Blues who stepped back from that transfer race due to budget constraints. It was not until deadline day that Nicolas Jackson's move went through.
Another player Chelsea failed to sign despite making a bid is Fermin Lopez. And it looks like the Blues could be ready to return in January.
As reported by Fichajes, Chelsea have not given up on signing Lopez. They are preparing an €80 million move in the winter transfer window.
Chelsea preparing €80m move for midfielder in January
Signing someone like Lopez would be a great addition to this team. But that being said, one has to question where he would fit into the plans.
Unless the plan is to move Cole Palmer further towards the right. But in that case, what would happen to Pedro Neto and what about the development of someone like Estevao, who is already showing that he can compete in the Premier League and is only going to get better with experience?
That kind of an investment would mean that Lopez would almost have to be a starter though. Of course, he is not the only player with a similar profile to be linked with Chelsea lately. Another is Morgan Rogers. And so was Simons before his move to Tottenham Hotspur.
So, this seems to be a profile that Chelsea are looking at extensively. One would imagine that Enzo Maresca has a plan in place.