Chelsea transfer news: The latest Blues rumours from the market ranked with reaction to links with Kylian Mbappe, Dusan Vlahovic and Moises Caicedo.
You know the saying: 70% of the world is covered by water and the rest is covered by N'Golo Kante. As he leaves English football for free after eight personally understated but positively spritely years, the other 30% has to be covered somehow.
At the age of 31, Kante is no longer capable. In truth, he hasn't been for a while, hence why Chelsea were only slightly disturbed by not managing to tie him down.
Kante has gone; that other 30% of the earth may now be covered by transfer rumours. Lengthy columns of the past linking the Blues to Hulk, Edinson Cavani, Neymar and Marco Reus are out as well. Roman Abramovich's disregard for English football's heritage made it too easy for rumours to take over in the market. But old fellow, I want more players and wish for them now.
An unknown fourth law of Sir Isaac Newton is that Chelsea must always spend money on players. Be it seasoned pros, long past their best strikers or the next, next, next Lionel Messi (perhaps the European version or somehow a left-back with his traits), Chelsea are simply always there.
Now they are right back in the mix again. Four weeks to go of this thing before a little break and there's plenty to be done. Chelsea are after a goalkeeper, midfielder and striker. It's what they started the summer looking for and it's what they still need now.
Even the addition of a host of the most talented players that aren't old enough to remember Wayne Rooney's Street Striker is not enough to fill the squad in the way Mauricio Pochettino wants. He's after experience and midfielders, plenty of them.
This is the latest group of players linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and how football.london rates the chances of them actually being completed.
Robert Sanchez
However, as a 25-year-old with Premier League experience and potentially available for a decent price this feels like it really could get done. Whether it makes sense of not is another question.
Mohammed Kudus
It's all gone a little quiet on the Kudus front but given Chelsea's work to secure Lesley Ugochukwu and Axel Disasi with very little fanfare, that might not be a bad thing.
The Blues have the money more readily available than Arsenal and Manchester United due to their rapid-fire sales and Kudus meets a lot of the criteria for Pochettino-type players. With personal terms close and a reasonable fee, this feels like it may well happen.
Moises Caicedo
Hello darkness. Who doesn't love a protracted, drawn out and tiresome transfer saga that refuses to make progress against all odds? Was Jules Kounde and Frenkie de Jong really only 12 months ago?
Kylian Mbappe
Dusan Vlahovic
Is Vlahovic actually any good? Nobody seems to know. The idea of Vlahovic, a 23-year-old goalscorer with great physicality and proof of top seasons in Europe is certainly one to like. Chelsea have seen this story before, though, and it's hard not to be affected by past torture.
Michael Olise
Manchester City are in the mix but have set a price limit, the Blues might not be a stringent. It feels like a 50-50 with Kudus at this stage but we think there's a high chance that at least one of them cuts in from the right-winger at SW6 next season.
Tyler Adams
Onto the midfield: this is a panic buy. The drop-off from Caicedo to Adams is vast and if this is the next best option then Chelsea may as well have kept Ethan Ampadu. Not to be too harsh on Adams, who is a really nice player, but he doesn't move things on in the squad.
Romeo Lavia
Lavia is the better option of the two, even if it would cost nearly double the price. As a teenager there is obvious excitement and he doesn't quite add the experience that Pochettino wants, but he is one heck of a player.
Which of the following prospects would you like to see in the first team, or loaned out for experience? Swipe to have your say...