It’s time to talk all things transfers as the January window is now open for business. In this article we focus on Chelsea FC, who got the party started ahead of everybody else today by signing Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund.
The extremely talented 20-year-old right wing absolutely shattered the transfer fee record for an American player, as he commanded £58m ($73m). He’ll stay with BVB until the end of the season, and join Chelsea in the summer. Blues boss Maurizio Sarri said he didn’t know the transaction was actually getting completed today.
“I didn’t know anything about (the team’s signing) Christian Pulisic yesterday,” Sarri told BBC Sport after his side’s goalless draw with Southampton Wednesday.
“The club asked my opinion about him one month ago and my opinion was positive and I knew the deal was done [today] but I didn’t know anything. I’m not in charge of the market.”
Elsewhere, current midfielder Cesc Fabregas is apparently looking to bolt this January, despite Sarri’s hopes that the former Arsenal and Barcelona man will stay.
AC Milan are looking to beef up this January, and as it stands now they are the front-runners to acquire the 31-year-old. If he doesn’t go to the San Siro, then another destination could be Ligue 1 club AS Monaco. Or at least it could be if one of his former Gunners teammates gets his way.
L’Equipe claims that Fabregas could sign with a new team next week, with Monaco ready and willing to do what it takes to reunite Fabregas with Thierry Henry, who currently manages the club.
Finally, we get to team captain, yet still very sparingly used central defender Gary Cahill. The England international has made it clear he wants out to a place where he will actually see some minutes and Sarri has told him that he is indeed free to go now.
The 33-year-old may stick out the rest of the season at Stamford Bridge though, and perhaps move on a free in the summer time.
What are some potential destinations? Well, Arsenal are in the midst of a defender crisis, that doesn’t seem to be getting better any time soon (or at least not until Rob Holding’s ligaments heal). Not to mention that was the weakest position group on the team to begin with at the start of the season.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.