Just as it seemed Maurizio Sarri’s increasingly sour tenure had reached its nadir, the Blues were dealt a fresh setback today as FIFA announced they are to be banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows.
The club, deemed to have breached rules regarding the signing of under-18s, sensed a suspension was on the horizon and their worst fears have come true.
And it has come at the most inopportune of moments.
Because for Chelsea supporters, today’s transfer embargo merely lengthens a seemingly endless catalogue of dilemmas at Stamford Bridge.
At the top of the list is Sarri, of course, whose mind-numbing style of play has conjured up both comical performances and scandalous results in equal measure
Then comes the million-dollar question on every fan’s lips: will Eden Hazard join Real Madrid at the end of the season?
Add to that the precarious future of Callum Hudson-Odoi, blatantly shunned by Sarri after handing in a transfer request to join Bayern Munich in January, the expiring contracts of David Luiz, Pedro and Willian, as well as Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso’s alarming decline, and there is already plenty for the Blues faithful to be pulling their hair out over.
Today’s gut-wrenching news for the club could have a profound effect on pretty much all of those issues, too.
“If Chelsea appeal the embargo, FIFA rules state they will be free to sign players until their hearing is concluded ”
Sarri, who has overseen 4-0 and 6-0 pastings away at Bournemouth and Manchester City, is clearly in need of fresh blood to ensure such inexcusable scorelines never occur on his watch again.
Hazard’s inevitable departure also means a new marquee name will be required at the Bridge, while Luiz, Pedro and Willian would all need replacing should they head for the Chelsea exit door.
Thankfully for the west London club, they may have a get out of jail free card.
If Chelsea appeal the embargo, FIFA rules state they will be free to sign players until their hearing is concluded – meaning they could potentially go on a summer spending spree before putting their wallet away for the entirety of 2020.
Hazard exchange
This, at least, would allow them to fill the expected void left by Madrid-bound Hazard.
Sarri backingAnd Sarri would be handed the squad overhaul he is evidently crying out. .
The 60-year-old was given his favourite midfield general, Jorginho, as a welcoming gift at the Bridge but the Brazilian has struggled in adapting to the physicality of the Premier League.
And his second wish was granted in January when Higuain replaced the faltering Alvaro Morata at the pinpoint of Chelsea’s attack.
If Sarri manages to steer clear of Roman Abramovich’s axe until the end of the season and bolsters his squad with more of his desired targets in the summer, the Italian will surely be in the last-chance saloon in SW6.
To even get that far, though, Sarri will need to secure Champions League football for next season and his chances of doing so are becoming bleaker and bleaker by the week.
The question is: who would Abramovich turn to next?
Yet, more importantly, who would be interested?