Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater is attracting interest from two Premier League sides, according to the Guardian.
At the time of Drinkwater’s arrival last summer, the BBC reported that Chelsea had parted with £35M in order to secure his services. It was a move that reeked of desperation, and it hasn’t proved to be worthwhile for any parties involved.
Having been used frequently throughout pre-season, it appeared as though Maurizio Sarri’s arrival had offered Drinkwater a life-line at Stamford Bridge.
Following the returns of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante, in addition to the signing of Mateo Kovacic from Real Madrid, Drinkwater has lost his place in the match-day squad.
At 28-years-old, Drinkwater is at the peak of his physical and footballing powers. Yet, he is still not good enough to cut it at a club of Chelsea’s stature. A club which will be challenging on all fronts this season.
A departure seems inevitable, with the Guardian claiming it could happen when the January transfer window comes around.
The report claims that Drinkwater’s former employers, Leicester City, are considering re-signing the Manchester United academy product – but they’re not alone with their interest.
The Guardian also link Southampton with a potential move for Drinkwater. Interest from the Saints would provide him with two realistic options, playing for teams closer to his level.
Chelsea ought to have learned a lesson from the failure of this deal. Panic buying ordinary players for extraordinary transfer fees is only going to end in frustration.
We’d be better off giving one of our younger players an opportunity to get first-team minutes under their belt, rather than plugging holes in the squad with expensive stop-gaps.