The summer transfer window brings a lot of drama, so let’s dive right in and do some silly season speculation. It’s time to do Chelsea FC transfer talk, midfield makeover edition. We’ll cover Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Moises Caicedo.
Let’s start with Kovacic, who is apparently headed to Manchester City.
According to a report in ESPN, the two big six clubs are on the verge of completing a deal worth about €40 million (£34.2m).
This is one deal that has been discussed for quite some time, and although the overall agreement is in place, it’s still going to be about a couple weeks until the deal for the 29-year-old holding midfielder is finalized and announced. within the next fortnight.
More later, but for now let’s move on.
Manchester United have made an opening pitch for Mason Mount, but it was rejected, according to Sky Sports, who report that “the offer is thought to be worth £40m.”
Other outlets have reported that United will go as high as £50m, but Chelsea have slapped a £70m price tag on him.
Mason Mount will see his deal expire in 2024, so the southwest London club needs to sell now, otherwise they could ultimately end up getting nothing in the return for the English international.
Overall, United need to upgrade depth and quality in midfield, and this need will increase if Scott McTominay leaves, as expected.
A little more on this over at this link.
Maybe the most interesting transfer plot twists of all are when a player formally says goodbye to his current team, only to later say put.
So let’s get to Caicedo, who went all over social media in the January transfer window to say adios to Brighton & Hove Albion.
He even bragged about the idea of his generating a club record for transfer fee sale. As you know, he’s still there. Maybe not for too much longer though.
Chelsea will advance their pursuit of Moises Caicedo over the coming weeks. Brighton will let Caicedo leave. This was clear when he extended. It’s going to take around £70m guaranteed and £10m in add ons. Caicedo fully open to the move even without European football.? pic.twitter.com/Q7TvJ9nH0I
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) June 15, 2023
The tweet above is from CBS Sports Golazo Network reporter Ben Jacobs, who is essentially the CBS Sports version of Fabrizio Romano, or David Ornstein. You know, the insidiest insider that ever insided inside with all the other insidey insiders.
It sounds like Chelsea will make Moises Caicedo the main midfielder target now, with Arsenal going after Declan Rice, and Manchester United coming for Mason Mount.
Moises Caicedo has been strongly linked with all three of these clubs, and he obviously thought a concrete deal with an agreed upon fee, was already in place this past mid-winter. Otherwise he would never have made such public remarks.
Presumably it was Arsenal who had nabbed him, but there is a chance that it could have been Chelsea instead.
Brighton, who qualified for European competition for the first time in their history, would not let him leave then, reportedly. But they will now…at the right price of course.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
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