Ranking Chelsea's Transfer Rumours on Excitement Factor
As the summer rolls on, the transfer rumour mill gathers momentum. With the billions flowing into the Premier League, chief executives are sat poised, itching to sign cheques for eye-watering fees to bring the biggest stars to their clubs.
Chelsea are no different, of course. While the Blues are yet to sign any new talent to bolster manager Antonio Conte's championship-winning squad, they are never far from the back pages when it comes to transfers.
So how excited should Chelsea supporters be with the names being linked to their club? Join us as we rank the top rumours on their excitement factor.
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8. Adama Traore
Straight in at No. 8 (and this would be lower if there were more rumours to rank) is Middlesbrough winger Adama Traore.
There's only one question surrounding Chelsea's apparent interest in him: why?
In two seasons in the Premier League, the former Barcelona man hasn't impressed enough to suggest he can do anything different to the young players Chelsea have coming through.
The Blues are dominating youth football, yet according to the Evening Standard, they see Traore, 21, as an option in the transfer market to strengthen their squad. Why aren't they promoting a young player instead? Why aren't the likes of Lewis Baker and others in attacking positions being given a fair chance over external signings?
The prospect of Traore in a Chelsea shirt is completely unfulfilling.
"Adama Traoré wouldn't get a game for our U23s, so of course it makes sense the club are after him.
— J. Tweeds (@JoeTweedie) June 21, 2017"
7. Romelu Lukaku and Riyad Mahrez
We've paired Romelu Lukaku and Riyad Mahrez here as we're tarring them with the same brush. Both players come with significant profiles, but beyond the public perception, what would they offer Chelsea that Conte doesn't already have?
Gary Stonehouse of The Sun and Simon Johnson of the Evening Standard, respectively, linked the Blues with a swoop for the pair. Given the price they'll be commanding, it doesn't exactly smack of value.
Should Chelsea splash the cash lavishly this summer, they need to be finding upgrades on the players they already have—Lukaku and Mahrez are not that.
Paying anywhere north of £30 million for either player isn't going to provide that value. Exact fees vary right now, but we know that with the English club tax—the premium added by Premier League sides selling to each other—let alone contract lengths, the price for Mahrez and Lukaku is going to be hefty.
And when we consider the European market, there's more value to be had, not to mention more talented players to acquire.
As squad players, Mahrez and Lukaku offer something; for the money they'll cost, Chelsea are better off looking elsewhere. Especially when the latter was sold by the Blues three years ago for £28 million.
6. Virgil van Dijk
For Virgil van Dijk, see Mahrez and Lukaku. He edges ahead of them because he at least strengthens an area of the pitch that is so vital to Conte's side.
There are shortages all over for Chelsea, but defence is a big concern. With John Terry now gone, it leaves Conte with just Gary Cahill, David Luiz and Kurt Zouma as his recognised centre-backs. Chelsea need quality reinforcements there this summer.
But for the prices doing the rounds for Van Dijk, such as the £50 million being quoted by Neil Ashton in The Sun, it takes the sheen off what could be good business.
5. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
OK, so we've preached the financial doctrine above. Now we're going to forget that for a moment where Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is concerned.
As with Traore, Chelsea have young players coming through who have the potential to play the same role as that of the Arsenal man at Stamford Bridge. On the face of things, he wouldn't be a regular starter, instead playing the same squad role he does at the Emirates Stadium.
But what price can be put on snatching a player from a rival and on Chelsea fans using the potential transfer to taunt Arsenal fans? That goes a long way, and for that factor alone we've ranked the Sky Sports rumour of Chelsea's interest fairly high on this list.
We just want to stand back and watch the social media angst hit a new frenzy.
4. Leonardo Bonucci
Leonardo Bonucci is the sort of defender who captures the imagination. He's passionate and wears his heart on his sleeve; it's that raw emotion that plays so well with the fans.
He's a rather fine footballer, too. That, more than anything, is enough to get supporters excited when he's being linked with their club, as Bonucci has been in the Evening Standard.
The problem with Bonucci—and it's only a small one—is his age. The Juventus man turned 30 last month and that number alone breeds all sorts of impressions on longevity. How long can he remain a top-class defender to serve Chelsea?
The Blues are in a strange place right now. They need a quick fix this summer, but for the level of investment they would be putting into Bonucci, the impression is that they would be better off diverting the funds to a player who can help build a long-term platform.
Do Chelsea want immediate success? Or do they want to sustain a period of dominance with established players who have time on their side?
3. Alex Sandro
After a fine season at Stamford Bridge last term, Marcos Alonso would have felt he was one of the few players who should not be looking over his shoulder this summer.
But Chelsea's wing-back positions are fragile, and they need to add depth as much as they do quality. Well, Juventus' Alex Sandro offers both of them. And unfortunately for Alonso, he's widely regarded as an upgrade on him, too.
The 26-year-old Brazilian has been a major reason for Juventus' continued domination of Serie A in the two years he has been in Italy. When the Old Lady made it to a second Champions League final in three years last season, Sandro was among their best performers, too.
Calciomercato.com (h/t the Daily Express) suggested Conte wants him, and Chelsea fans should be rightly excited. It's a move of substance and intent.
2. Tiemoue Bakayoko
Every few years, we see a team completely shock the system and outperform bigger rivals before being circled like vultures to raid them of their talent.
It happened with FC Porto's 2004 Champions League winners, and there was a hint of it with Leicester City last season when Chelsea snatched N'Golo Kante off them. Now it's AS Monaco's turn.
Much of Europe are chasing the likes of Kylian Mbappe, with Tiemoue Bakayoko another man not far from the headlines. The French midfielder is being strongly linked with Chelsea, per the Daily Telegraph.
He fits the bill in so many ways. Bakayoko is young and proven in Europe where Chelsea will be competing again next season. But not only that, he has all the qualities of a player the Blues are missing in midfield.
They need a dynamic, powerful midfielder to complement Kante. Nemanja Matic isn't that man for an entire season and neither is Cesc Fabregas in the current 3-4-3 system that won Chelsea the title.
Bakayoko looks to be a perfect fit, as we've seen with his performances for Monaco. He imposes himself on opponents and is also a threat getting forward and creating opportunities.
Signing him would give Chelsea everything they haven't got in the middle of the pitch. It would be a real statement from Conte.
1. Robert Lewandowski
Remember, this rankings list is based on excitement and not reality. Were it the latter, Robert Lewandowski would be a mere footnote. It's difficult to see Bayern Munich allowing him to leave.
The Bundesliga champions acted quickly to quash the rumours of a transfer to Chelsea or any other club when talk emerged.
Paul Doyle of the Guardian was among those to pick up on the Lewandowski rumours before they were denied in a club statement, with any potential suitors being warned off with a threat of being reported to FIFA.
"There are no talks with other clubs [regarding Lewandowski], and there won’t be any," the club said, per Sky Deutschland (via the Guardian). "If other clubs negotiate with players who are under long-term contracts, they risk FIFA punishment."
Forget reality for a moment, though. Imagine Lewandowski in attack at Stamford Bridge alongside Eden Hazard and Pedro. Heck, even imagine him as a strike partnership with Diego Costa if he remains a Chelsea player.
That tops any list for any club this summer. It would be fantasy football being played out in the real world.
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