Chelsea completed an unusually subdued transfer window without any major incomings or outgoings at Stamford Bridge in January.
Not a single one of Thomas Tuchel’s first team squad exited via the back door. Nor did he feel the need to add any extra bodies to his already talented ensemble.
This season’s buying and selling activities have been majorly subdued across the park because of the pandemic and the subsequent chaos it caused on the financial market.
The Blues spent very big in the summer and will probably be aiming to emulate that again come the end of the campaign.
Hence why there were no movements around Cobham as Tuchel tries to formulate unity within his group.
It was Chelsea’s quietest window since 2010 when the only transaction of note was sending Patrick van Aanholt on loan to Newcastle.
Many of the names that Frank Lampard wanted to offload stayed put and have even found themselves key figures under the new manager.
Marcos Alonso and Antonio Rudiger are the obvious individuals to have regained their status after having it torn away from them by Lampard.
Others who also looked destined to depart were either persuaded to stay or just unable to force a way out.
Billy Gilmour was in talks with Southampton over a loan move but instead decided to fight for his place at Chelsea.
Emerson Palmieri was tipped to be the player most likely to leave. However, nothing climatised for the defender and he may have to wait a while longer for his release
All of Chelsea’s activity took place earlier in the month. This mainly consisted of sending out spare parts on loan, including Danny Drinkwater to Kasimpasa and Abdul Rahman Baba to PAOK Salonika.
Lucas Piazon finally bid farewell to the Blues after ten painstaking years on the road by joining Braga on a free.
Perhaps the most eye-catching bit of business was Fikayo Tomori being sent off to AC Milan for the remainder of the term with an option to buy if the 23-year-old impresses his Italian suitors.
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It was wise for Tuchel not to expand his side any further because there would have been rumbles in the jungle again if he brought more personnel in.
Happy to see Gilmour stay and given a second opportunity.
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