The transfer windows have been pure chaos for Chelsea in recent years, so it’s no surprise that fans and pundits are hoping for a quiet winter.
The Blues have broken one record after another since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital bought the club, whether through spending in a single window or through the British record transfer fee with Enzo Fernandez and then Moises Caicedo.
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Things have slowed down somewhat in 2024 and despite spending more than £200m in the summer, a reasonably settled first XI now appears to be emerging.
Despite this, and given Chelsea’s recent success story, numerous names are still being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, including two of the Premier League’s best.
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is reportedly receiving another offer above the £100million mark, while Palace defender and former Chelsea player Marc Guehi could follow Romelu Lukaku’s path and return to west London.
The two players were discussed on The Pitch Prospect show Inside Chelsea but both received a no from the jury.
In Isak’s case, it’s because of what’s already there, and Nicolas Jackson is getting praise for a big reason.
Host Kweku Afari explained: “I have seen so many big name strikers fail at Chelsea over the years that there is one common denominator in those who have succeeded.
“It’s their mentality, they have that dog in them and that fight, and I see that with Jackson.
“I really like Isak, but if you tell me we have to pay £115 million for someone who can give you the same performance as Jackson, I wouldn’t spend that money.”
Former Chelsea defender Jason Cundy agreed, adding: “The problem you have with Isak is the wages and the transfer fee, then on Saturday you have the problem of who should you start?”
“Jackson has been allowed to develop in a team that is still in its infancy, with unprecedented changes on and off the pitch, he is coming through and showing the quality, so you would have to disappoint either Jackson or Isak.”
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“I’m glad we didn’t go for Victor Osimhen in the summer because we wouldn’t see those numbers from Jackson.
“We’re at a point now where it’s about improving the team, not the squad, and if you do that there’s a certain risk because Jackson is doing well.
“It is questionable whether we need a replacement because Christopher Nkunku is not that replacement, but because Jackson is so young, how do you support him? You need someone to overtake him, but who is that player?”
With the question settled at the front, the next one comes at the back, but Guehi could also be unlucky when it comes to a return to Stamford Bridge.
Speaking about the highly-rated Crystal Palace captain and England regular, Matisse said: “I don’t think I want him back.
“The problem at the moment is that Chelsea have too many central defenders. We’ve signed too many contracts in the last few windows and they either need to sell them first before getting new additions or start trusting them and building on them.
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“For me and Guehi the problem is the price, he was linked to Newcastle in the summer at a high price that we don’t have to pay.
“I think his signing would depend on Wesley Fofana, who was signed for £80m. He has the potential to play for France and become a top center back. “I don’t think we can look at Guehi.”
Afari agreed and looked at Chelsea’s top four rivals as an example.
He explained: “Guehi, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Fofana, they give me the feeling of a B center back.”
“If you look at Arsenal or Liverpool, the central defenders I mentioned are more [Ibrahima] Konate and Gabriel as they are [William] Saliba and [Virgil] van Dijk, who makes this defense so impressive.
“If you don’t hire someone like that, which I don’t think is the case with Guehi, then I don’t think there’s any point in bringing in another defender if you have to reduce the squad.
“If Chelsea were to use a centre-back, they would need to use someone who is dominant and controls the backline. I don’t think that’s the case with any of the players we’ve been linked with or any of the players in the squad.” That.
“Fofana could be that, Colwill could develop into something like that, but until I can identify one of those players like Van Dijk, I don’t want to sign anyone.”
So there you have it, Boehly and Co., there are no quick decisions in January unless it’s someone exceptional, especially on offense and defense.
However, the goal is a completely different topic, especially with Robert Sanchez failing to impress.
Assessing the problem in goal, Matisse said it was the one problem he would like to see resolved sooner rather than later.
“If we don’t want to give Filip Jorgensen a chance in the Premier League, we need to start looking at our options,” he began.
“This is the only position where I think Chelsea have shown high quality over the years and if they want to get to the next level that needs to be rectified.”
“Can you do this in January?” Probably not.”
Cundy added: “I think business is done, but I expect most fans will look at the goalkeeping situation and think, ‘Is it OK now?’ But I think what we have is probably what we will get, but we will probably see a reduction in the squad.”
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