Who Chelsea could sign next | Talking Transfers
Chelsea have been busy this January...to say the very, very least.
To date they've signed most of the footballers in the world, and they're now being linked with the rest.
The Talking Transfers crew of Scott Saunders, Graeme Bailey and Toby Cudworth have tried to make sense of it all...
On this edition of Talking Transfers, Scott Saunders hosts Toby Cudworth & Graeme Bailey to discuss some of the latest transfer news. On today's agenda: Dusan Vlahovic, Anthony Gordon, Enzo Fernandes, Amadou Onana, Malo Gusto, Nicolo Zaniolo, Pedro Porro, Weston McKennie, Milan Skriniar, Maiximo Perrone & more! If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!
Anthony Gordon
Graeme Bailey: As we know, Chelsea were in for Anthony Gordon last summer. They liked him, as Newcastle did.
Newcastle are preparing a bid, and we understand that Chelsea are hovering and keeping abreast of the situation so don't rule them out. Newcastle are at the front of this queue though. Everton are willing to listen to offers for Gordon now.
Eddie Howe and his staff have done their homework on Gordon and they think he'd be a good fit. He got a lot of stick after the bid from Chelsea, but he didn't make the bid. He's a very talented footballer and it could be quite a shrewd deal if Newcastle get this over the line.
Chelsea transfer policy
Toby Cudworth: They're just ticking off names from a list at the minute it seems, there doesn't seem to be any actual strategy behind why they're suddenly going after them it's a kind of flavour of the month kind of thing.
It is like building a Football Manager shortlist where you put 30 players on there and you see which one is available for said price. I don't really know what they're doing to be honest, why Chelsea are potentially retaining an interesting in Gordon, I'll never know. I said months ago that I didn't think he was that great, and I know he's got some good elements to his game but I'm not so big on him having a big future. I think he could be a decent, established, Premier League player but even at Newcastle he'd be a Ryan Fraser upgrade, but then in 18 months time when Newcastle have pushed on a bit more he's going to be in that team. They'll be looking to upgrade from him again.
And at Chelsea, given they've brought in [Mykhailo] Mudryk and [Noni] Madueke and others, I can't see how he fits into that puzzle, it makes no sense whatsoever.
Enzo Fernandez
Graeme Bailey: I think their ambition is to play one holding midfielder instead of two moving forward, and they maybe see a Mason Mount - Enzo Fernandez midfield with someone holding.
They'd like Fernandez and a defensive midfielder if they could do it. Talks are back on for Fernandez. We have been told that the lines of communication between Chelsea and Benfica never came to an end.
This deal wasn't that far away and it all fell apart when Benfica asked for the release clause. The main sticking points has been the first instalment of the deal, while Chelsea wanted £40m, £40m, £40m as an equal split of instalments, Benfica wanted £60m or £80m up front. If Chelsea are willing to do that, then this deal still has legs.
Malo Gusto
Graeme Bailey: A right-back is something they've wanted throughout January. They're looking for a younger player and Gusto is one of the best out there.
Lyon, ideally, would like to keep him on loan, that's the issue at the moment. Chelsea want him now to come in, back up Reece James, but Lyon would like him to stay on loan in France for the rest of the season.
There's a growing confidence though at Chelsea that they could well get this one done in the next week.