Are Chelsea Really Taking The Mickey, What’s Victor Moses Actually Worth?

Victor Moses’ stock just continues to rise and rise.  After another impressive season at Wigan several Premier League teams (including Arsenal, Liverpool, QPR and Newcastle) are queuing up to speak to the 21 year old Nigerian.

Yet it is Chelsea that have made the first move with a rejected £4 million bid on Monday night, which Wigan chairman Dave Whelan described as ‘taking the Mickey’ as reported in the Guardian online.

Whelan has often expressed his desire to re-sign the winger who has 12 months remaining on his current contract at the DW. As well as denouncing Chelsea’s bid in his interview, Whelan expressed how he believes Moses would develop far more in another season under Martinez than he would ‘playing in the Chelsea reserves.’

He went on to comment about the actions of Moses’ agent, whom he believes responsible for the increasingly likely departure of Moses, that again bring to the fore their unwanted yet incredible influence on the game. For what it’s worth I agree with the Wigan chairman – this appears a case of money not football sense taking prevalence.

Whilst a move to Chelsea or any of the other teams would certainly be immediately attractive to the 21-year-old, one would have to ask whether it would truly benefit his game Moses has been a starter in this Wigan side since the departure of Charles N’Zogbia and would be guaranteed another season as a Premier League regular in Lancashire. Yet can the same be said if he moves to Stamford Bridge?

If choosing Chelsea, Moses’ future can go either way. The likelihood, at least according to Whelan, is that Moses does not feature regularly in the first team and instead takes a backseat role as part of Chelsea’s reserve set up. Going from Premier League starter to a reserve role will be extremely detrimental to Moses’ talents. He has shown he can compete in the Premier League and simply needs more games to improve on his potential.

If he does get a run in the first team then Moses will have to hold off the multi millions of attacking talent that would sit behind him in the Chelsea squad, plus any further players they add this summer. In addition, Abramovich’s craving for creative football is not only felt by the manager but also by the Chelsea squad. If Moses can’t reproduce his past performances he will be quickly dispensed with, Abramovich will make sure of that.

A move to Chelsea will always be attractive to Moses, especially after the hiring of personable manager Roberto di Matteo and Champions League glory. Yet if the Nigerian really wants to continue to develop his promising talents he should heed the words of his current chairman, however biased he may be.

The glitz and glamour of Stamford Bridge may be alluring but a run of games at Wigan, particularly under Martinez who has been important in his development, will be more beneficial in the long run. Even if his agent thinks otherwise.