Sometimes we need to sit down and praise what Frank Lampard has done at Chelsea without being able to make any transfers. He’s integrated a lot of the youngsters and still looks set for a top-four finish.
You could also argue that the team has helped from playing without pressure because of that. The players knew they couldn’t be succeeded, and there was a ready-made excuse if it all went wrong.
This could be a massive test of Frank Lampard’s managerial talent now that they can sign players again. We should get an idea if he can recognise suitable players and integrate them into the team.
Their last official signings were Christian Pulisic and Mateo Kovacic, but they had either been on loan at the club or confirmed for a while, so according to Sky Sports the club have made an proposal to end that transfer drought.
They claim that Benfica central midfielder Gedson Fernandes is the player in question, with the Blues reportedly making an 18-month loan offer with an obligation to sign him for £55m.
That looks like a hefty fee for a player who’s only played in seven league games this campaign, but he does look promising, and his versatility could be useful. He can perform anywhere in midfield or in either wing-back spot, so that could be useful to Frank Lampard.
At this points, it’s only “Sky sources” that have indicated this, so we don’t know if a transfer is close, but it surely sounds like Chelsea are looking to add some players this month.