Chelsea hit transfer jackpot again as Enzo Maresca makes brutal £84m Mykhailo Mudryk call
AFC Bournemouth navigated, ownership tantrum controversy largely avoided, and a full week off. It has been a good return to domestic football and Chelsea so far.
Having come back from September's international break on the brink of an internal collapse following the public admission that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital were considering strategic moves to buying out the other half, manager Enzo Maresca could have had a tricky few days ahead of him. However, with three points in the bag not to mention some positivity gradually starting to build - headed up by Jadon Sancho - Chelsea's fans can come out from behind the sofa again.
This is not the time to get too far ahead, though, because the world of Chelsea dictates that things will only come crashing down, but even in the light of uncertainty at the summit of the club, there's a sense of some brief stability with this free midweek to analyse, and prepare. Once a trip to West Ham comes on Saturday the season will unfold very quickly, though, and on several fronts.
There's Carabao Cup and Conference League football ahead and manager Maresca has challenges to come. Here, football.london looks at the latest goings on at Chelsea in a rare quiet period for the Blues;
Estevao price rising already
Chelsea winger Estevao Willian has already hit some of the clauses in his deal that will see Palmeiras receive more money for him despite being just over halfway through the Brazilian league season. Having been signed by Chelsea earlier this summer, Estevao will not join up with his new teammates until 2025, and he's instead finishing things off in his homeland until he turns 18.
In the meantime, Estevao is leading Palmeiras to a serious Serie A title challenge. With nine goals, the 17-year-old has the second most in the division and he's also contributed with seven assists, as well. Putting that into context, by the time Neymar left Santos he had had amassed 14 goals and seven assists in his final campaign.
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For Chelsea, this is going to cost them. On top of the initial £29million fee, Estevao has a number of sizeable add-ons which can be met this season and in subsequent ones. According to Fabrizio Romano, his performances have been triggering some of those already.
"He keeps scoring goals and providing assists for Palmeiras," the transfer journalist said. "This is very good news for Chelsea for the future but also for Palmeiras because they're performing very well, but also they're making money because part of the add-ons in the contract of Willian Estevao are also for the performances of Willian Estevao this season at Palmeiras before joining Chelsea in 2025. So every goal, every assist is also money for Palmeiras."
football.london says: There was very little doubt that Chelsea were getting a seriously talented player in Estevao but his rise in importance as a teenager over just 12 months has been remarkable.
He has been picked out for some time now as a wonderkid to watch, but this is his first full season in Serie A. He's yet to hit 40 senior appearances for Palmeiras, but already he looks like Chelsea could have got a very good price.
In total, it's thought that Estevao might cost up to £57million. In the grand scheme that isn't much for a player who is currently at the early stage of a possible Neymar-like trajectory. If that is to be the case then Chelsea have hit the jackpot.
Martinez swap deal
Chelsea are already preparing to make an incredible bid for Inter Milan striker, and captain, Lautaro Martinez next summer. Reports in Italy claim that with an £84million asking price for the Argentine, Chelsea are willing to offload three players in return.
As well as Benoit Badiashile and Carney Chukwuemeka, both of whom have been linked with moves to AC Milan instead, Mykhailo Mudryk is said to be one of the trio that Chelsea may let go. It comes after the club continue to look for forwards to work with, against and alongside Nicolas Jackson.
Martinez, who spearheaded Inter to the 2021 and 2024 league title, only signed a new contract at San Siro last month but remains a player in demand. Chelsea and Real Madrid have made their admiration for him clear in the past, but he has always remained faithful to Inter.
football.london says: Come back, 2021, you left your transfer behind. This is so out of the ordinary and, even for Chelsea, it just doesn't feel right.
To accelerate a deal like this so early and with the players in question would be a bit crazy. Chukwuemeka has just been welcomed back into the squad, for starters.
Badiashile and Mudryk both have a lot to prove and the latter is hardly getting on to the pitch currently, let alone making much of an impression, but convincing them to make the switch and having a possible four-player trade negotiated is wild. This is not a computer game.
If Maresca has made the call already to place Mudryk in the unwanted list though, then it would be telling. He has already found himself sidelined and down the pecking with more competition than ever for starting spots. A way back looks long and a summer loan opportunity has passed. Would Inter even be interested in the expensive player he has become?
This isn't to take away from Martinez either. He's a great striker, that is not in doubt. He has a nice profile and looks suited to Premier League success as well. But the finances and gymnastics needed to bend something of this scale would be frankly impossible to land on.