If Chelsea are going to do any business in the January transfer window, then the chances are that the club will have to cash in on some out-of-favour players first.
All the signs, at least until the last couple of days, have been that Chelsea would not be making any new signings in the winter window. The last 48 hours, however, have suggested that actually, they might.
Liam Rosenior kept the door open when asked about potential new signings in January, in his latest press conference. But for now, the focus is on getting some of Chelsea’s outcasts out of Stamford Bridge.
Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi have both been linked with moves but the abroad loan quota is currently full, hampering their chances of an exit. So far, Chelsea have made only one permanent sale this month.
£1m is far too CHEAP for Leo Castledine, isn’t it? 🫨
He's set to join Middlesbrough in a bargain permanent deal…
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Chelsea working to sell a second player in January window
Leo Castledine was the first. Having starred for Huddersfield on loan in the first half of the season, the attacker got the green light to join Championship promotion candidates Middlesbrough for just £1m.
David Datro Fofana (Fatih Karagumruk) looks on during the Super Lig match between Fatih Karagumruk and Besiktas
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Now, Fabrizio Romano has an update and it involves striker David Datro Fofana. Bought for £10m from Malmo, things have not gone to plan for the striker at Chelsea, managing just four goalless appearances.
Instead, he has already been sent on loan four times. Union Berlin, Burnley – where he scored four goals in the Premier League – and then two spells in Turkey. Initially, Goztepe and now, Fatih Karagumruk.
On Tuesday, Fofana took his tally to seven goals in 14 games for his current loan side and perhaps, the goalscoring touch is returning. Certainly, it has caught the eye of Celtic, Derby County and Antwerp.
Romano posted on X: “Chelsea and David Datro Fofana are working on a permanent exit this window. Celtic, Royal Antwerp and Derby County all expressed interest over potential deal.”
Fofana has fallen a long way from Alan Shearer praise
Hardly his fault, but Fofana has fallen by the wayside. Two loan spells in Turkey are a sign of that, with the SuperLig often the place to go for injury-prone or ostracised Premier League players with no future.
Chelsea’s stance on January transfers under Liam Rosenior is clear 🗣️
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Chelsea's January transfer window stance
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It is a long way from being praised by Alan Shearer while on loan at Burnley. Fofana scored the fourth of his four goals at Burnley in a 2-1 win over Brentford. Shearer praised him, saying he’d done “really well”.
Now, Fofana needs to reignite his career after an injury cut short his loan with Goztepe in 2024-25. A permanent move and a new home is required instead of going out on loan. Chelsea are working on it.
A move to Celtic would see him join a club that are competing for trophies and remain in Europe, but a move to Derby or Antwerp may give him a better chance of starting games. He has a decision to make.