Big-spending Chelsea set for busy end to transfer window | Soccer
Chelsea have already spent more in the January transfer window – around $200m – than all the top league clubs in Spain, Italy, Germany and France combined.
The London team may not be finished.
The final day of the window could be another busy day for Chelsea and their new American ownership, with the club linked with a move for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez and potentially looking to balance the books by offloading Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech.
Seven players arrived at Stamford Bridge this month, including Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk for a fee of around $108m and French centre-back Benoit Badiashile for $40m.
It comes after Chelsea spent nearly $300m in the European summer transfer window, the first under new ownership led by Todd Boehly after buying the club for $2.5bn in May.
Chelsea have granted new players long-term contracts – up to 8½ years for Mudryk, for example – to allow the club to spread the cost of signings over the duration of the deal and to comply with fair rules. -financial play.
British media reported on Monday that Chelsea were prepared to pay a British record fee of 105 million pounds ($130 million) to bring in Fernandez, who won the World Cup with Argentina in December.
Jorginho has been linked with a move to Premier League leaders Arsenal and Ziyech is reportedly set to join Paris Saint-Germain on loan.
Chelsea are hoping their latest spending spree will help the side climb the Premier League table – they currently sit 10th, 10 points off the top four – in a late bid to qualify for the Champions League.
Other clubs that could be active are Tottenham, who appear set to sign Spain winger Pedro Porro from Sporting in Portugal, and Nottingham Forest, who are reportedly close to bringing Jonjo Shelvey from Newcastle and centre-back Felipe from Europe. Atlético Madrid.
Manchester City could be set to send Joao Cancelo on loan to Bayern Munich after the Portugal full-back fell out of favor.
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