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Garnacho decision made, striker signed, five exits - Chelsea January transfer window predicted

Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho
-Credit:Ash Donelon/Manchester United FC


We now have just over two weeks remaining of the January transfer window and we still await a signing at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea are on a five-match winless run in the Premier League and that has coincided with the mid-season transfer window - with many supporters calling for acquisitions in the coming weeks. However, for the most part, the club are content with the squad they already have at their disposal as they look to finish in this season's top four to get back into the Champions League later in 2025.

Saying this, though, there still could be at least one signing between now and the conclusion of the window. Who will that/they be? Below, football.london's Chelsea panel discuss and predict the outcome of the transfer window from a Blues perspective...

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Bobby Vincent

It really would not surprise me if Chelsea surprised everyone in the remaining days of the transfer window. Does that make sense?

By that I mean; at this point, there is nothing concrete around a striker. We know of interest in plenty of centre-forwards but there is no talks ongoing with clubs or players that we know of. But we do know there have been talks internally within the west London club, with a number of names on the so-called shortlist.

Liam Delap of Ipswich Town is one of them. The 21-year-old striker is enjoying a superb season in the Premier League for the Tractor Boys - and he is indeed someone very well admired by Chelsea, football.london understands. For Ipswich, though, who are battling to stay in the Premier League in their first season back in over 20 years, losing their star striker midway through the campaign would surely only be an option if they were to receive an extortionate fee for his services.

If Chelsea do not mind 'paying over the odds', so to speak, for Delap in this window, then he could indeed be an option with the club looking to ease the burden on Nicolas Jackson, who is without a goal in over a month. Other strikers, namely Benjamin Sesko, are also on the club's radar. Evan Ferguson remains a long-term target as well.

Chelsea are also exploring their options regarding a left winger. Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens are two players very much of interest at Stamford Bridge, as reported earlier in the week by football.london. With Mykhailo Mudryk provisionally banned after failing a drugs test last month, the Blues are looking at alternative options to provide competition for Jadon Sancho. Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich is also an option with the club retaining a long-term interest in the 19-year-old German forward.

Despite all these names being on the club's radar, if I was to make a prediction; I would suggest they will be pursued in the summer rather than between now and the end of the window. Deals are just easier to make happen at the end of the season because of multiple factors, including the price clubs ask for and their willingness to sell because they have more time to find a replacement and so on.

Elsewhere, there still could be multiple exits for Chelsea in the January window. There is plenty going on behind the scenes regarding Ben Chilwell, who has been told he can leave the club this month, while Axel Disasi is in a similar position. Renato Veiga is of interest to many, but Chelsea are understood to not be desperate to sell the 21-year-old Portuguese full-back.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could still depart as he looks for regular first-team football, while Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei are also expected to leave. Chelsea would rather Chukwuemeka leave the club on a permanent basis rather than on loan but will not sanction his exit unless the £40million release clause inserted in his contract is paid.

Casadei, meanwhile, is set to leave Stamford Bridge. There are several clubs interested in signing the Italian midfielder but Lazio are the ones pushing for his signature at the moment, football.london understands. So, there could feasibly be between five and six exits before the window closes, which could force Chelsea's hand on the incoming front as well.

Joe Doyle

We've got just over two weeks to go in the January transfer window, and there haven't been big moves anywhere in the market just yet, similarly to last year when Radu Dragusin was the most expensive deal as Tottenham pledged around £25million including add-ons to bring him to north London.

I think Chelsea's needs are fairly clear in the long-term: a clinical No.9 must be added to the squad to compete with Nicolas Jackson. But I don't think that option arrives in January, unless it's someone like Jonathan David, who has six months remaining on his contract at Lille so would be a cheaper choice.

There's interest in a left-wing option at least partially because of the Mykhailo Mudryk situation, and I think that does look the most likely incoming move in January. A deal involving Bayern Munich attacker Mathys Tel and Christopher Nkunku could suit all parties if it goes through, and I think it's more likely than a move for Jamie Gittens or Alejandro Garnacho - both of whom could cost the better part of £60million in January.

I think elsewhere there will be a number of loan exits agreed in the last couple of weeks. The Blues have recalled a number of players recently, and I we'll most likely see them head out again elsewhere, barring the likes of Aaron Anselmino and Trevoh Chalobah.

In terms of anything permanent, I think the only real first team name in danger is Axel Disasi. It speaks volumes about his place in the team that with injuries to Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana, not only has he not been trusted to fill in but the Blues have recalled Anselmino and Chalobah from their loans.

Cesare Casadei could also leave, but I'm not sure whether anyone will come in for him on a permanent deal in January. Chelsea signed him for around £17million including add-ons, and if they choose to sell him this month I'm not sure they'll earn that back given his lack of game time. A short-term move seems more realistic.