Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
BlueCo have often signed players for Strasbourg, even though they believe those players will end up at Chelsea. The latest example is about to complete a £17m move to Strasbourg.
Just this summer, Chelsea have welcomed back Mike Penders and Aaron Anselmino from loans with the Ligue 1 side, who are owned by BlueCo. While they won’t admit it, Strasbourg are Chelsea’s feeder club.
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Valentin Barco and Emmanuel Emegha have also moved from Strasbourg to Chelsea this summer, for a combined £60m. BlueCo often sign players for Strasbourg, knowing they will eventually join Chelsea.
It’s perhaps not in the spirit of the game, and for Strasbourg fans, it is a real source of frustration. But for Chelsea, it can only be beneficial. The latest future Chelsea talent is about to move to Strasbourg.
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What BlueCo really think about defender Karim Coulibaly
At the start of the summer, TeamTalk said Chelsea wanted Werder Bremen’s German teen Karim Coulibaly. The 19-year-old has impressed in Werder green over the last season, clocking up 27 Bundesliga games.
SV Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund - Bundesliga
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He’s only broken into the side over the past 12 months, yet BlueCo have made their move. The French side are set to pay an initial fee of £17m, with add-ons and a sell-on clause included in the transfer.
However, Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg shares what BlueCo really feels about Coulibaly. Chelsea’s owners believe that Coulibaly is a future Chelsea player and the move to Strasbourg is a stepping stone.
Strasbourg, who have Genesis Antwi and Filip Jorgensen on loan, have money to spend: “Advanced negotiations taking place. The BlueCo project consider Coulibaly a potential future Chelsea defender.”
SV Werder Bremen v FC Augsburg - Bundesliga
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Chelsea will have to make a lot more defensive sales first
Coulibaly is due to sign a long-term deal in France, but if Chelsea are to ever complete a deal and lure the German to Stamford Bridge in the next few years, Xabi Alonso will have to shift plenty of defenders first.
There is a feeling that Chelsea have signed Barco and Emegha this summer, simply to protect their assets and aim to make a profit down the line when the duo have added value by impressing at Chelsea.
Todd Boehly and Mark Walter graphic
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That could well be the case with Coulibaly in 12 months, two years, possibly three years. But if they are to do so and Coulibaly can have a realistic chance of increasing his value at Chelsea, players need to be sold.
Trevoh Chalobah has gone and Benoit Badiashile is set to follow him, with both moving to Italy. But the Blues still have Tosin Adarabioyo, Mamadou Sarr, Anselmino, Wesley Fofana and other central defenders.
Chelsea need to offload two or three more after Badiashile’s move to Napoli is confirmed. If they are to do a deal down the line for Coulibaly, then a realistic path into the starting XI is required for the German.