The mid November international break is certainly the perfect time to talk some transfer rumors, as the January window will be here before you know it. In this article we focus on Chelsea FC, and we begin with the midfield maestro that the west London club are trying to keep from hitting the open market.
N’Golo Kante, the 2016-17 PFA Player of the Year, will reportedly be given a new £290,000-a-week agreement according to the Evening Standard. The publication states that Stamford Bridge are “increasingly confident they will conclude contract negotiations in the next few months.”
Kante is almost certainly not going anywhere, but his name has popped up in connection with both Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.
Next we move on to Juventus left back Alex Sandro, a player who has been linked with the Premier League, off and on, for quite some time. In the run-up to tonight’s friendly against Cameroon, the Brazilian international made some comments that will put the three potential Premier League suitors (Chelsea and both Manchester clubs) on notice.
“I’d like to play in the Premier League one day,” Sandro is quoted by Football Italia. “However, I’m happy in Italy right now and I want to continue playing for Juventus.”
United’s interest was higher before Luke Shaw revitalized his career. Meanwhile City sees the 27-year-old as potential injury cover for Benjamin Mendy, and to provide depth at a position where they are thin.
As for Chelsea, the Blues community on SB Nation, We Ain’t Got No History, probably sums it up best: “Alex Sandro ’s price tag is expected to be eye-watering (£60-80m was the range in which this rumor was trading back in 2017), his Chelsea ship probably sailed some time ago.”
Or has it? Maybe the opportunity is still there, given the report from a couple days ago claiming Stamford Bridge want to drop £200 million in the upcoming transfer window and get in a shopping spree before potentially getting slammed by a transfer ban due to supposed FFP violations.
Another player previously linked to the club, and certain to command a very transfer fee in the open market is Manchester United forward Anthony Martial. Sky Sports claims that “talks over a new contract remain deadlocked” with his current club and that Old Trafford are bracing for January window interest from Chelsea and Juventus.
Both clubs were reportedly keen on the Frenchman during the summer.
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 Lineups.com and Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.