Welcome to the summer silly season! Chelsea FC were essentially “champions” of this competition, last time out, as they outspent the rest of the world, by a considerable margin, in the last summer transfer window.
Expect Owner Roman Abramovich to greenlight another summer spending spree this time around, so let’s dive straight in with the latest Blues transfer news and notes. This edition focuses more on the selling portion of the transfer window, instead of the buying component.
Three days ago, a report surfaced claiming that Chelsea could sell off at least five players, and perhaps two more this summer, meaning that Chelsea might part ways with as many as seven players. Here are two more footballers that could be exiting west London.
France forward Olivier Giroud was already re-signed this offseason, but probably not with the intention of keeping the 34-year-old around. Instead the purpose was getting value in return when they part ways with him. According to a report in Gazzetta dello Sport, a potential suitor has been found in AC Milan, but the article suggests Giroud would be allowed to leave on a free, as it’s a foreign club.
The reports claim that an agreement will be reached within the next 48 hours or so with the centre-forward to sign a two or three year deal wih the Rossoneri.
Milan would pay Giroud between €3.5 million and €4 million per season in this new deal.
Elsewhere, Chelsea have become synonymous with loading up their squad and then loaning their players out all over the world. Midfielder Conor Gallagher is an example, as he spent last term on loan with West Bromwich Albion. According to The Sun, Crystal Palace will offer £15 million for him.
The England U21 international hopes to fight for a place in the European champions first team this upcoming season, but that’s a tough task. The 21-year-old knows what a competitive, crowded midfield there is to contend with at Stamford Bridge, but he’s already shown that he can handle the day in and day out rigors of the Premier League during his time with West Brom.
Now with the Baggies relegated, he needs to transfer in order to stay up in the top flight, and maybe moving across town would be the right move.
Of course, he’d be going to a team that doesn’t have a manager right now. It’s always worth mentioning again that getting rid of your deadwood, selling off the fringe players, correctly, is just as important as obtaining the right set of new players.
It just doesn’t get the same level of attention.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
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