Chelsea fans will already know that, last Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) granted Chelsea a stay in relation to the transfer ban FIFA imposed back in September. Since then, the papers have been full of wild and wonderful reports on who Gourlay, Arnesen and Abramovich are plotting to bring to Stamford Bridge when the transfer window reopens in January.
From what I’ve read in the national newspapers over the last few weeks, Chelsea are looking at no less than seventeen players as potential recruits including: Van Der Vaart, Adam Johnson, Wanderson, Aguero, Villa, De Rossi, De Guzman, Rodwell, Ribery, Hamsik, Luis Suarez, Pazzini, Di Maria, Corchia, Garcia, Coentrao and Fabiano.
A not inconsiderable number of players to be linked with, especially bearing in mind the club was linked with just 39 over the summer.
Meanwhile the noises from Chelsea have been very different. Ancelotti has been quoted as saying: "I'm very happy with the squad and it's not necessary at the moment to take new players. I know we will lose four players in January, but if we maintain the players' fitness, we can have a good period also without the African players." Bruce Buck has also stopped mentioning the desire for Chelsea to make a ‘marquee’ signing, and Gourlay’s public appearances have so far centred around commercial considerations.
In the face of contrasting reports, who knows what Chelsea fans should expect: a quiet January, or the flouting of a £50m ‘warchest’ as touted by the press. Looking at it dispassionately however, there’s every reason to expect Chelsea to get the chequebook out. Whilst the transfer ban has been put back, it hasn’t yet been overturned. With an ageing squad, and despite Ancelotti’s talk about having previously managed players in their forties, the club needs to start preparing for the future and pick up players that can be the natural replacements for the likes of Drogba, Lampard, Ballack and Carvalho in the next few years. With the prospect of a two-window transfer ban still looming and younger players not yet breaking through, not entering the market in January would present a significant risk.
It makes sense for other, more practical reasons too. Real Madrid’s extravagant spending in the summer warped the market for everyone else – perhaps Chelsea believe that, six months down the line, the market will have now started to return to more normal levels meaning the likes of Ribery aren’t so outrageously priced? Perhaps they also believe that buying players like Villa, Ribery and Aguero – all playing for teams either not in or unlikely to play in the knockout stages of this year’s Champions League – can be purchased for a reduced fee.
Ancelotti's silence regarding new targets could also just be a smokescreen to avoid the inevitable inflated asking prices when selling clubs feel assured Chelsea are in the market for players.
Finally, the stay was granted by CAS at Chelsea’s request. Surely Chelsea wouldn’t request the stay unless they wanted to do business in January? Summer was a disappointment for Chelsea fans choosing to buy into the tabloid gossip train, but if I were a betting man I’d wager that this January might come slightly closer to meeting expectations.
What do you reckon - should Chelsea splash the cash? Post a comment…
you forgot pato.
but other wise great artical, i to believe we will be seeing a few new faces in january, although if we keep all the players we have and don't get any injurys i can see us only needing 3 more players
(striker - pato/Aguero. rm/rw and maybe another CAM (or top of dimond player) and maybe a loan deal for a CDM)
Posted by: mark | 10 November 2009 at 18:41
Chelsea hav 2 buy, no matter what. We need an absolute attackminded midfielder 2 compliment our strikers.
--
Sent on a phone using T9space.com
Posted by: Adewale | 10 November 2009 at 19:02
invincible chelsea with Frank ribery
Posted by: cris | 10 November 2009 at 20:16
If the ruling is not overturned and we don't purchase any players this would be catastrophic for us.
I'll keep my fingers crossed as I'd like to see Aguero in Chelsea(http://www.studs-up.com/comics/2009-11-06.jpg) . David Villa is not as young as I'd like (27) and I'm afraid Ribery may end up being an overpriced flop live Shev.
Posted by: Kostaz | 10 November 2009 at 21:16
well i cant say nun much as we doh have time bcuz we are banned from signin players in summer for 2 more windows we should only make 4 more signings and that is all. we should take rodwell(everton),aguero(atl.madrid), pato(ac milan) and johnson(middlesbrough). we should buy young stars bcuz d squad is already old. and we have a couple already with the like of Sinclair, di santo and bruma
Posted by: kendon | 10 November 2009 at 21:57
i think aguero,pato and di maria will confirm go to chelsea this january.i think ribery will not go to chelsea because real madrid has make a big bid for his.
Posted by: cfc fan supporter | 11 November 2009 at 00:52
aguero,ribery and a.young
Posted by: EHTISHAM | 11 November 2009 at 02:47
I can't wate to see aguero wearing chelsea jesey.come on chelsea go and get him.
Posted by: Christian | 11 November 2009 at 05:37
A really good read. I would say that Chelsea have made the appeal as they see that they have done nothing wrong and it does coincide with the January window. If Chelsea want to go into the market to buy new players then prices will be inflated & not just because of last summer with Madrid paying out silly money for players, because we are Chelsea and everyone knows we have money.
The problem is who do we bring in. Once the African Nations come back we pretty much have back to full strength the best squad in the Premier League already so who could come in and make a position in the side their own?
Don't forget Joe Cole is back (make sure you check out my website and my article about Joe here http://www.chelseadaft.org/2009/10/joe-cole-key-to-our-success.html) and he will have a major part to play. I prefer Joe to Ribery any day.
Drogba commands his place in the side and his form makes him a dead cert to start. Anelka has pretty much cemented his place so who can come in and make the difference?
I see your point about the future, but Lamps, JT, Drogba etc have all signed new deals so we are ok for the next 3 or so years.
So not really sure we need anyone.
Posted by: Chelseadaft | 11 November 2009 at 13:44
defintely will need at least 2 talented players but they have to be young for the long term future, Ribery, Villa and co. are all over 26 and thats too old, what they need desperately is an attacking midfielder who can do the business and put less pressurre on Lampard, Ballack and Essien, this is Chelseas weak link at the moment.
Posted by: rob | 12 November 2009 at 15:46
what we need is a dead ball specialist! we are crap at corners and free kicks! and the ones we do score are controversial, how many times have Deco and Lamps hit the first man with their free kicks??? With our current setup would rather ballack took them but overall definitely our weakest point. considering the possession football we play and the fouls we get, i think that's the thing that would make us champions.
Posted by: Hirad | 12 November 2009 at 16:17