Chelsea Transfer News: Roman Abramovich Slammed Over Andrej Kramaric Rumours

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been accused of "football murder." That's the astonishing claim of Dinamo Zagreb executive director Zdravko Mamic.

His attack on the man controlling the Chelsea purse strings, relates to the Stamford Bridge club's pursuit of Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric. A former Zagreb prospect, but current HNK Rijeka star, Kramaric is reportedly close to completing a £7.5 million switch to Chelsea, per Daily Mirror reporter Neil McLeman.

That prospect has angered Mamic, according to McLeman's fellow Mirror writer Darren Lewis. It's the damaging implications to Kramaric's career development that appear to have most irked Mamic:

"

Chelsea have no interest in Kramaric as a player, but as a potential investment or gift to a sports friend.

Using the influence of Chelsea, Abramovich entertains his friends.

If this transfer is realised, it will be football murder for Kramaric, he doesn’t deserve it.

"

Strong words indeed. In terms of the immediate prospect of Kramaric playing at Chelsea, Mamic has a point, even if he's used a verbal sledgehammer to make it.

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The Blues have little need for a striker when Diego Costa, Didier Drogba and Loic Remy are already on the books. However, snaring Kramaric now could be some wise future planning by manager Jose Mourinho.

After all, Costa has been bothered by chronic hamstring trouble and his temperament is questionable. Meanwhile, Remy has his own durability concerns.

As for Drogba, he's 36 and already thinking about making this season his last, according to Daily Express reporter Anthony Chapman.

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In this context, procuring a young star certainly makes sense. Kramaric is exactly that. The prolific 23-year-old has even drawn comparisons to Croatian great Davor Suker, per Goal.com writer Mark Doyle.

But it's the present Mamic believes Kramaric should be focusing on, not some promised future at Stamford Bridge. That's not an unreasonable view since Blues boss Mourinho doesn't always trust young and unproven players.

Chelsea also love to send fringe players out on loan. In fact, the club currently has a whopping 26 players operating under loan deals, according to Owen Gibson of the Guardian.

Apparently, that's even a possibility for Kramaric, in the event of any deal, per Sky Sport Italia reporter Fabrizio Romano:

A loan deal would at least help Kramaric to continue playing and developing his craft. However, so many Chelsea players have been banished to loan wilderness and condemned to never seeing the light of day at Stamford Bridge.

That's clearly the fear of Mamic. His violent tongue-lashing toward Abramovich will only raise more questions, fair or otherwise, about the way Chelsea conducts its business in the transfer market.