Chelsea face an important end to their season. The fight for a top 4 finish is in their hands but must maintain their consistency.
A favourable draw of Porto in the Quarter Final of the Champions League, to reach the Semi-finals for the first time since 2014.
They’re also in the hunt for a ninth FA Cup, if the Blues can beat Man City in their upcoming Semi-Final on Saturday, 17 April.
Depending on whether Thomas Tuchel's men can achieve their minimum target, by accomplishing Champions League football next year will determine transfer targets incoming in the summer.
Budget not necessarily being an issue for Chelsea, but the status of playing in the Champions League will could be.
Some may argue that after Manchester City, Chelsea boasts the next most talented squad depth in the Premier League.
Manchester United and Liverpool may argue with that, but Chelsea’s strength is their quality of 23 full internationals. They also have a myriad of quality players on loan.
Following a Transfer ban for the 2019/2020 season and vast incoming transfer fees, Chelsea used those savings, added with a season of no spending to start a rebuild of their squad.
Without knowing the exact net spend, they basically used the money they recouped on player transfers.
The transfer fees of three players in particular would generate roughly £200m. Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, Alvaro Morata to Atletico Madrid and Mario Pasalic to Atalanta.
As well as Willian and Pedro leaving on a free, relieving a massive chunk out of the wage budget.
In the Summer 2020 Chelsea spent the best part of £230m on Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Edouard Mendy. They also acquired Thiago Silva and Malang Sarr on free transfers.
So, it could be argued that the outgoing business of the club was just as clever as the incoming recruits.
My hypothesis is that Chelsea have such an inflated squad, that If Chelsea want to sign two world class players to enhance the team, then the money for these can be raised in players leaving the club.
This could come in the shape of a cash plus player deal or even players in exchange. The swap/player exchange deal is one of the hardest to achieve due to the complexity of suiting all parties.
A way to enhance the balance could be to offer two or three players in exchange for one. Chelsea could do this as they have so many players on their books anyway.
At Chelsea there are players deemed to be no longer part of the current plans or brought in by previous managers.
Chelsea have lots of players that they own but on loan. The ones that are playing regularly and impressing will have increased their own value.
A few examples of players Chelsea could move on in the Summer transfer window, yield an estimated £150m – £170m worth of talent; according to www.transfermarkt.co.uk: Ross Barkley, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Emerson, Michy Batshuayi, Tiemoué Bakayoko, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Davide Zappacosta, Danny Drinkwater, Kurt Zouma and Victor Moses.
A player plus transfer fee from unwanted Chelsea players could be productive. But a multiple player exchange could be a fantastic bargaining tool of encouraging the selling club to sell their prized asset without paying a transfer fee for them at all.
Acquiring two or three excellent players to their squad in positions they need would provide quality rather than quantity. This could be the next step in challenging for honours.
Two players Chelsea have been linked with in the media are Erling Haaland and Declan Rice.
Haaland is a generational talent that all the elite clubs are looking. Declan Rice, a boyhood Chelsea fan and former Chelsea academy graduate, released by the club at a young age.
He is playing exceptional football and has done since he broke into the West ham team. A ball playing, defensive midfielder, winning man of the match performance for club and country regularly.
Likened as the new Yaya Toure and valued by West ham highly. Going by www.transfermarkt.co.uk, buying the services of these players would cost approximately £210m.
Erling Haaland (20), has the choice of all of the world’s best clubs. A powerful 6’3 clinical finisher with bags of potential, but already looking like the finished elite forward.
The stats prove this from his current season with Borussia Dortmund. He has scored goals for Molde, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund, as well as for his national team, Norway.
Reportedly, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said Haaland has a release clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract which will become active in the summer of 2022 £63m.
But if Chelsea were to get ahead of the curve, they could come in with an offer this season. Offering a new project and next step in his promising career.
Also, London life, the Premier League and ambition to win all trophies, with him spear-heading their attack.
Borussia Dortmund could demand possibly get double the release clause this Summer as they don’t have to sell but may not achieve Champions League football.
If Chelsea sell players and use that money as leverage plus a player in to exchange. However, a deal could be done giving multiple quality players too.
These could be worth double the value of the player to sweeten the deal. Timo Werner, a Bundesliga goal machine would be an ideal candidate.
Timo has missed chances for Chelsea and maybe a move back to Germany would see him find his goal-getting form back.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has been touted by Borussia Dortmund’s bitter rivals Bayern Munich would be a coup for them too.
The winger is still young and may get more regular first team football in Germany and be better placed to develop his game.
Add in the world’s most expensive goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga, bought for £70m from Athletic Bilbao. He but doesn’t get in Chelsea’s first team and Chelsea would want to get his his wages off their budget. His value would have dropped but he is still an International custodian.
Declan Rice (22), who West Ham will not want to sell have valued him at £80m accreting www.skysports.com.
A powerful, yet technical defensive midfielder who has the ability to run from deep. At 6ft, is dominant in both boxes. Has bundles of energy and leaves everything on the pitch.
A young captain, with natural leadership skills was another player from the Chelsea school of excellence. All his family support Chelsea and is best friends with Mason Mount.
The nostalgic feeling of English legends of Chelsea, in former captain Terry and vice-captain Lampard omits the same vibe with Rice and Mount for the next Chelsea era of dominance.
How could Chelsea get West Ham’s main man off them? The answer would be providing them with a replacement player, plus players for positions in their team that need filling and of high value.
Some possibilities could be Ross Barkley, Tammy Abraham and Billy Gilmore. The Irons’ manager David Moyes used to be the manager of Ross Barkley at Everton and always spoke of him in glowing terms in post-match interviews.
West Ham only have one striker at the club, so having Tammy Abraham, an England International leading the line would certainly solve a lot of problems for them.
Billy Gilmore on loan could fill the void of Declan Rice and give the Scotsman valuable first team football.
Erling Haaland = Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea in exchange for Callum Hudson-Odoi (£45m) + Kepa Arrizabalaga (£25m )+ Timo Werner (£60m)
Declan Rice = West Ham to Chelsea in Exchange = Ross Barkley (£40M) and Tammy Abraham (£40M) Plus Billy Gilmore on loan.
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