Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues sent Rayan Cherki warning; club receive Tammy Abraham boost, and more - November 2, 2023
Chelsea secured a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday (November 1) in the EFL Cup Round of 16. Benoit Badiashile and Raheem Sterling scored for Mauricio Pochettino’s side
Meanwhile, the Blues have been send a warning regarding their pursuit of Lyon's Rayan Cherki. Elsewhere, the London giants have received a boost in their plans to sign AS Rona striker Tammy Abraham.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on November 2, 2023:
Chelsea sent Rayan Cherki warning
Transfer insider Jonathan Johnson has warned Chelsea against a move for Rayan Cherki.
The Frenchman is among the most talented young players in Europe at the moment. He has caught the eye with Lyon and has turned heads at Stamford Bridge.
However, in his column for Caught Offside, Johnson said that the player has attitude problems.
“Cherki will certainly be one to keep an eye on, though I don’t know for sure if Chelsea plan to come back in for him – the Blues had an interest in him in the past, but one problem with him is that clubs are becoming increasingly aware that he has massive attitude problems,” wrote Johnson.
He continued:
“Cherki doesn’t always conduct himself like he should on the pitch or in training, and there is quite a problematic relationship between the player’s entourage and the club, so that could get in the way of him developing to the best of his ability.”
However, Johnson noted that the Blues have to decide whether the player is worth the risk before proceeding with a move.
“Still, while Lyon remain hamstrung financially, there are sure to be clubs who try to pounce on that opportunity. Whether or not Chelsea are one of those who decide to go back in for him, it depends how much due diligence they’ve done on the player.
"They’ll have to decide if it’s worth the risk, because some clubs have looked closely at Cherki before deciding to think twice,” wrote Johnson.
Cherki could yet get over his issues with the right guidance at the right club.
Blues receive Tammy Abraham boost
Chelsea have received a boost in their efforts to sign Tammy Abraham.
According to Calciomercato, the Blues could bring their former player back to Stamford Bridge as a part of a deal for Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian forward is on a season-long loan with AS Roma but isn’t part of Pochettino’s plans. Roma could look to tie him down to a permanent deal and could use Abraham to aid in their plans.
Pochettino needs a new No. 9 to lead the line, and Abraham’s name has been doing the rounds. However, the report also adds that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is the preferred choice for the London giants.
The Nigerian forward’s contract with the Serie A champions expires in 2025, but he hasn’t agreed a new deal yet.
Chelsea midfield not balanced yet
Chelsea have a lack of balance in their midfield, according to journalist Paul Brown.
The Blues have invested heavily in the middle of the park in recent windows. Enzo Fernandez was roped in for £107 million from Benfica at the start of this year.
The London giants then opted to spend £115 million on Moises Caicedo, who arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion this summer. However, Pochettino is yet to accommodate the two players in the team.
Brown told Give Me Sport that Chelsea should be utilise Caicedo as a box-to-box midfielder and use Fernandez as the focal point of midfield.
"I think there's still a problem with the balance really in the Chelsea midfield. I'd still like to see the team revolving around Enzo Fernandez rather than Caicedo.
"I think Enzo needs to be the first outlet when the ball goes into midfield. At the moment, that's not really happening too often,” said Brown.
He continued:
“Caicedo brings slightly different things to the table, but I just think in possession of the ball you really want Enzo in there rather than him.
"Caicedo is a destroyer, he can get around the pitch. Maybe they'd be better off using him as more of a box to box player or consistently as a two in there."
Caicedo has failed to live up to expectations since arriving at Stamford Bridge.