Chelsea FC are still looking for their first transaction for the January transfer window, but the rumor mill is decisively and understandably working overdrive right now. The west London club have had their transfer ban lifted after just one window, and that means they should be really busy this month.
Here are a few of the Blues transfer narratives gaining traction in cyberspace right now. Multiple outlets have picked up on Chelsea’s pursuit of Lyon striker Moussa Dembele. However, they have competition, from Tottenham Hotspur Manchester City, as well as another club, one that often goes to head to head with Chelsea for players in the transfer market, Manchester United.
“Chelsea have allegedly already seen a £34m bid rejected with Lyon seemingly determined to keep hold of Dembele until at least the summer,” writes Sports Mole.
Speaking of United vs. Chelsea battling it out in the player recruitment world (a tale we’ve become quite familiar with over the years), the two big, rich powerful clubs are also after Hellas Verona’s Marash Kumbulla, according to Calciomercato.
The 19-year-old Albanian defender is drawing interest from a host of other clubs, including Juventus and BVB, as well.
Elsewhere, German striker Timo Werner is attracting the interest of both Chelsea and United, as well as Liverpool and City. Football London reports Stamford Bridge “seeking clarity over whether Werner has a release clause in his contract at RB Leipzig.”
That link includes a citation from the Telegraph and this quote from Frank Lampard:
“I think it will be a bit fluid. I think what I’m talking about today is we missed a lot of chances so I think we can look at strengthening that position so there is more competition in those areas.”
Finally, perhaps that scoring production that’s missing, especially from the wings, is a void that could be filled by Wilfried Zaha? Yes, yes again the Crystal Palace star is seeing his name linked in transfer rumors with several clubs.
Apparently, injury ravaged Tottenham are in the mix, and there’s even a report of a potential Bayern Munich loan move.
We go back to Football London for more on this one.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.