Liam Rosenior, the manager of Chelsea, has revealed that transfer talks at Stamford Bridge never stop during the January window. The 41-year-old took over as head coach on January 6, after Enzo Maresca left on New Year’s Day. This is his first transfer window with the Blues.
Chelsea are in sixth place in the Premier League with 34 points, a long way behind the teams vying for the title after a tough December. The West London club haven’t signed anyone yet this January, but Rosenior’s comments make it sound like they might be about to do something as the window nears its February 2 deadline.
Rosenior told NBC that transfer talks have been going on at a breakneck speed during this window. He said:
“I’ve already had two conversations today and I think it’s not even two o’clock in the afternoon here about the window. But we’ll keep working and if we think something is right for the club in or out, we’ll make that decision.”
The new Chelsea manager has said before that he is careful about doing business in January. He said the club would sign only players who fit well with the team and would rather focus on the players they already have than rush into deals.
The Blues are also dealing with players leaving, especially Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, who haven’t played this season. Rosenior has said he will talk to both players about their futures, but no decisions have been made yet.
Chelsea’s Top Transfer Goals: Still Looking For A Center Back
As Rosenior tries to change his team, Chelsea’s search for more defensive players is still a top priority. The Blues are ready to make a €50 million offer for Jeremy Jacquet, a 20-year-old France U21 international who plays center back for Rennes. He is a top target for them.
Jacquet has played in all but two of Rennes’ Ligue 1 games this season, and he is thought to be one of the best young defenders in France. But it might be hard to reach an agreement because Rennes won’t agree unless they get more than €60 million for him.
Stamford Bridge have had problems with the center back position for a long time. Maresca, the previous manager, is said to have asked for a new defender last summer, but his request was turned down. Rosenior now has the support to go after this part of the team.