Not really looking like they were going to sign anybody then forced back into the market after an uncharacteristic poor start to the Premier League season, our Chelsea fans here in the Football Transfer Tavern are also witnessing a rather hectic deadline day to boot.
Having signed the lesser known Senegalese international Papy Djilobodji from Nantes this morning as a reluctant alternative to Everton’s John Stones, in fairness this has done little to get our Blues fans off their barstools and to be honest, their next signing of the day in Reading’s Michael Hector is similarly not drawing much adoration.
In moves which are being mooted as more resemblant of Arsenal, our Chelsea fans are thanking the lord that at least their club landed Pedro from Barcelona with the Spanish international expected to enjoy a great impact in West London and after all, he scored and provided an assist on his competitive debut.
But the question is, will Chelsea leave it there?
Given the failings from the likes of Branislav Ivanovic, Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa thus far this campaign, our resident Chelsea fans would rather Roman Abramovich spent, spent, spent in the final hours of the window, especially on somebody with that X-factor such as Paul Pogba.
With just hours remaining however, only time will tell whether Blues fans are delivered their wish. Keeping along these lines on deadline day, we’ve devised a list of five players who could yet switch to Stamford Bridge in the final movements of the summer transfer window.
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Click on the image below to reveal the 5 players Chelsea could realistically sign before the 6pm deadline.
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Michael Hector
As confirmed by The Guardian earlier on today, it appears as if Chelsea have designs on Reading’s Jamaican international centre back Michael Hector as potentially becoming a long-term successor to John Terry.
Having come up against an extremely resilient Everton in their failed pursuit of John Stones this summer, the Blues have had had to scurry around like madmen in the final hours of the window to at least improve their options at centre back.
With Papy Djilobodji having permanently arrived from Nantes as a budget alternative to Stones, the reports from The Guardian claim that Hector will be immediately loaned back to Reading who of course landed Lucas Piazon on loan from the Blues yesterday evening.
With Steve Clarke a former Chelsea hero of course, it appears he’s wanted to do Jose Mourinho a favour with Hector who will of course return back to the Royals straight away for the rest of the Championship campaign this season.
Nicolas N’Koulou
While Chelsea have surprised everyone by concluding a late deal for the lesser known Papy Djilobodji, a few days ago Metro claimed that the Blues were interested in acquiring Marseille’s Nicolas N’Koulou.
It may of course turn out that Djilobodji is now the only defensive arrival who will be coming in to immediately strengthen Jose Mourinho’s backline but given N’Koulou’s versatility, we wonder whether a late deal will be struck for him also.
Marseille have sold off pretty much all of their prized assets this summer in Andre-Pierre Gignac, Andre Ayew, Florian Thauvin and Dimitri Payet so it is rather surprising that the highly-rated N’Koulou still resides at the Stade Velodrome.
You’d imagine that the Cameroon international would be interested in playing for a side like Chelsea at the next level and only the next few hours will tell whether the Blues will make their move.
Paul Pogba
To start the day, The Express proceeded with the sensational reports that Chelsea were looking to tie up a dramatic deadline day swoop for Juventus’ Paul Pogba.
With an eye-watering £88 million bid mentioned by the publication, it appears unlikely that such a mega bid will be sanctioned this late in the window, let alone the Bianconeri parting with their star man with no time left to source a replacement.
This week, Juventus agreed a deal to sign Mario Lemina from Marseille on loan and this set Chelsea fans’ tongues wagging but you’d imagine that the Frenchman is simply in Turin to bolster Massimiliano Allegri’s midfield options rather than arriving as a replacement for Pogba.
Nevertheless, call them crazy but some of our Chelsea fans are still holding out hope that Pogba could yet be on the move.
Their questions will be answered very soon now.
Charlie Austin
Not linked with a deadline day switch to Chelsea by the mainstream press today, we wonder whether QPR’s Charlie Austin could be a left-field option for the Blues in the final hours of the transfer window.
Diego Costa hasn’t got off to the best start this season and despite Radamel Falcao’s first Blues goal against Crystal Palace on Saturday, both he and Loic Remy aren’t considered top notch enough to really halt Manchester City’s title drive.
We saw with City a few years ago that they had Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo and Stevan Jovetic all in the same squad at once and our Chelsea fans would love to emulate such a foursome with Austin joining Costa, Falcao and Remy at Stamford Bridge.
Having scored over 15 goals in the Premier League last term, Austin has already proved he’s capable of stepping up from the Football League and earlier this summer, The Express suggested the R’s forward was holding out hope of a move to either Chelsea or Spurs.
Axel Witsel
We read the reports recently that claimed Zenit Saint-Petersburg were after a ridiculous fee for Axel Witsel before the transfer deadline but the ‘We Aint Got No History‘ blog points out that the Belgian does have a release clause in his contract at present.
Reportedly set at around the 30 million euro mark, Witsel has previously been described by many Chelsea fans as an affordable Paul Pogba and with Cesc Fabregas having flattered to deceive so far this season, a move for the likes of Witsel would be seen as positive in the eyes of Blues supporters.
The Express reported this morning how AC Milan have now pulled out of the race for Witsel’s signature and who knows, perhaps Chelsea could swoop late in the window for his services.
With Zenit having already sold Salomon Rondon to West Bromwich Albion to cut their foreign player quota in respect of giving the Russian national team a boost ahead of the 2018 World Cup, perhaps they’d also be interested in parting with Witsel for a large sum.
Witsel forged quite the partnership with Nemanja Matic during their time together at Benfica and recreating this duo at Stamford Bridge would be a decent move on Jose Mourinho’s part it appears.
