Chelsea are playing it very patiently when it comes to strikers this summer.
Their first wave of targets were the elite level players we were expecting them to move for a year ago – Victor Osimhen and Victor Gyokeres, for example.
But it became clear over time that they weren’t really being considered. Next came the younger, cheaper stars like Benjamin Sesko and Jhon Duran. But no decisive moves have been made there either, as the Blues carefully continued to asses their options.
Another alternative route has been the experienced but bargain options like Serhou Guirassy. But even on that front, it looks like time has expired.
Another option comes off the board
Fabrizio Romano is today reporting that Borussia Dortmund are very close to completing that deal:
“Everything is in place for Guirassy to join Dortmund after he agreed on the contract and the salary, but we’ve also had many rumours about other clubs, including Arsenal. My understanding is that Arsenal were never really interested in Guirassy as they’re looking at a different kind of player. Same for Chelsea, who were linked but who were never really pushing for Guirassy,” the insider wrote on his exclusive Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside.
There’s no need for Chelsea to panic – they’ve known all along that this is possible, and if they’re letting Guirassy go to Dortmund it probably means they didn’t want him, or at least decided they didn’t want to pay what was required.
But this relaxed approach can only take us so far – eventually the co-sporting directors are going to have to put their cards on the table and make a serious offer for someone. Nicolas Jackson did a great job as almost the only forward on the books last season, but we can’t rely on him like that every year.
So SuperFrank spends half his time criticising the club for spending too aggressively and the other half criticizing it for being too “relaxed” in the transfer market. Which is it, SuperFrank??? Make up your mind! Seems to me he just likes playing both sides against the middle so long as it gives him something to say.
Personally, I think the club have been quite judicious this summer. They appear to be looking for players that fit the new manager’s style and they’re not willing to overpay (or commit long-term to exorbitant salaries) for talent that isn’t clearly heads and shoulders better than what we’ve already got. Put another way, “relaxed” is just being “smart!”