How Chelsea could wind up chasing Ronaldo
Ben Jacobs
- Updated: 24 Aug 2022 13:12 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea’s chief transfer priority before the end of the summer window remains Barcelona’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but as they fight to get that deal through, CBS’ Ben Jacobs writes for FootballTransfers that a door to Stamford Bridge may remain open to Cristiano Ronaldo if anything happens with the former Arsenal captain.
There is a simple transfer for Aubameyang that can happen but there’s a strategic roadblock. Chelsea would ideally like cash plus Marcos Alonso, and Barcelona are saying that they’re not so sure about Alonso at the moment for a variety of different reasons. One of the most pertinent is that they just don’t know if they can register him on time.
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Chelsea are relatively confident they will get a clear-cut approach at this one. They will either succeed in their primary tactic of getting the swap deal done or they’re going to have to come up with a big lump of cash. More than they would like to pay, but Aubameyang would be worth it if he joins because Chelsea so desperately need a striker.
If all else fails, that’s when – and I don’t want to spark anything too substantial – if it all falls through and they don’t get Aubameyang, things become really interesting.
Do they make a late swoop for Ivan Toney? Do they persuade Thomas Tuchel internally at Chelsea to somehow come back in for Cristiano Ronaldo? And would Man Utd sanction that move?
- Ben JacobsDo they make a late swoop for Ivan Toney? Do they persuade Thomas Tuchel internally at Chelsea to somehow come back in for Cristiano Ronaldo? And would Man Utd sanction that move?
So Chelsea are going to be in a mad scramble for a striker either way, but the priority is still very firmly Aubameyang. At the Chelsea end, they still believe pretty confidently that they will get the player.
Why Aubameyang to Chelsea has stalled
They’re waiting on things that are out of their control, which is a challenge. They may lose patience because of the urgency to sign Aubameyang.
This is the market in a nutshell with Barcelona because of their volume of incomings and outgoings. Everything is tied to another player or a registration issue or tied to a financial issue. No one transfer can be taken in its own context. You have to look at how it relates to other moving parts of the football club, and therefore everything is being done on Barcelona’s terms.
So until Barca know what’s financially possible and who they can and can’t register, they’re keeping all doors open, which is why a fair few transfers at Barcelona might come to the final hours of the window.
