Chelsea completed Mauricio Pochettino transfer dream amid crazy deadline day move
Mauricio Pochettino got his wish in the January window for Chelsea
So that\\\’s a wrap. The quietest January transfer window in recent memory has come to an end. The curtain has closed but nobody was there to cheer the cast off with a standing ovation.
Chelsea, just about, deserve a round of applause? Not for the questionable deadline day departure of Armando Broja, certainly, because we\\\’ll get onto that, but for holding themselves back.
After signing eight players last year, breaking the then British transfer record, things haven\\\’t gone to play. The summer spend is yet to be fully justified – though that will only come with time as players settle and develop. It would have been easy for a recruitment team that is new and yet to get any reward for their work, to go, and go harder.
When Karim Benzema is dangled teasingly in front of you, it\\\’s hard to say no. But for now Chelsea have resisted. Their urge to try and turn things around this month must have been pretty large.
Talk of new strikers was at an all-time high. Ivan Toney, Victor Osimhen, for a while Viktor Gyokeres, and then even Jhon Duran. There was a period where briefings put across that a new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-midfielder, winger, and forward were all being eyed.
In a period whereby less business is good business, for incomings at least, maybe just a small bit of recognition for the club holding their horses is worthwhile. It won\\\’t last long.
This window has been just as full of reasons to be worried about what is to come at Chelsea and what the plan is, as there has been to truly #TrustTheProcess. Here, football.london takes a look at just what to make for the moves (or lack of).
Gallagher stays
Chelsea’s best piece of business all window, no doubt. Gallagher could easily have been one of the biggest stories of the month but by and large he was just a footnote.
As the 23-year-old continued to captain the side in January, often delivering high-quality performances even if his levels did drop in the past few weeks, he did it under the watchful eye of the knowing football world. Tottenham\’s interest was and still is very clear.
That football.london was able to report before the halfway stage of the window that he had no intention of leaving was a blessing. Gallagher is committed to Chelsea even if Chelsea aren\’t wedded to Gallagher in any way.
After weeks of buildup ahead of the window indicating that he really might be on the verge of leaving, for Chelsea to get through with their midfield ball of energy onside is a big win.
football.london says: It\’s not a total secret but Chelsea keeping Gallagher has gone under the radar. Perhaps it\’s because it should never really have been in doubt, but at stages it really was.
For Pochettino this is certainly a massive boost. With Lesley Ugochukwu and Romeo Lavia injured there is added importance on Gallagher. Even if his performances regress slightly there will always be a player here that can run for data and bring unerring availability.
The next step in this chapter is to offer him the contract that right now he absolutely deserves. This one looks set to rumble on for a while longer though. Onto the summer window it is.
Broja leaves
Maybe the biggest story of deadline day as whole? Broja completed a late move to Fulham on loan. It comes just two weeks after it was made public that the club were very much open to a sale.
Broja has only scored two goals this season for Chelsea but has been the main backup to Nicolas Jackson, especially in the absence of Christopher Nkunku through injury. The payment structure for this deal is pretty unique, though.
Fulham will cover the 22-year-old\’s wages – not that they are particularly extortionate – as well as a possible share of £750,000. If he plays enough games for the Cottagers then that price will drop to nothing, if reports are to be believed.
Chelsea started the window looking for £50million for the player. The realistic price they would ever get for him is considerably less and only around £35million. That they were unable to reach an understanding with Fulham or Wolves including a £5million loan fee is an indication of just how tough the market is.