Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has made it clear that he and his recruitment department will be taking the January transfer window seriously. That’s just as well, with the Blues unable to shake off the inconsistent form that saw them finish a dismal 12th in the Premier League last season. Here, Express Sport takes you through how the Londoners’ dream winter would unfold…
Boehly gives in
As part of a radical new approach to transfers, Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has implemented a policy of exclusively signing players ages 25 or under. The resulting crop of youngsters at Stamford Bridge have failed to gel on the pitch, and Pochettino’s side are evidently lacking leadership.
The former Tottenham boss has issued a public plea for more experienced players, even putting his side’s poor disciplinary record down to a lack of know-how at the top level.
Pochettino’s dream January would therefore involve Boehly relaxing his stance on the club signing older, wiser and wilier players, in the hope that it would help the squad’s younger prospects reach their full potential.
£157m double deal
Maintaining a healthy relationship with Sporting could be key to Pochettino’s January ambitions. The Portuguese giants have two players Chelsea would reportedly love to sign, although neither of their services would come cheap.
With a slender one-point advantage at the top of Liga Portugal, Sporting won’t want to let go of their most talented stars midway through the campaign. As a result, they are set to demand the full extent of Viktor Gyokeres’ £87million release clause.
The striker has managed 25 goal contributions in 20 matches since signing from Coventry City in the summer, prompting the Blues to place him on an attacking transfer shortlist alongside the likes of Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney.
ESPN report that Noni Madueke, Trevoh Chalobah and Ian Maatsen are all on the chopping block. None of the trio are likely to resist the prospect of a new challenge, given that Pochettino has largely placed his trust in other players so far this season.
Chalobah is believed to have admirers at Crystal Palace, Maatsen is linked with Borussia Dortmund, and 21-year-old Madueke would have no shortage of top European suitors if his availability became an open secret.
