For all her brilliant business decisions, Marina Granovskaia’s time as Chelsea’s transfer guru has not been without its faults.
Every wonderful signing or wise sale sometimes comes with the caveat of a failed trade.
There are a few appointments that, in hindsight, were a total misjudgement.
Danny Drinkwater has hardly paid back a single penny of the £35m (BBC) sent over to Leicester City in 2017.
Alvaro Morata failed to justify his £60m (BBC) move from Atletico Madrid.
Meanwhile, Kepa Arrizabalaga is only proportionally on the way to subsidizing the £71m (BBC) Atletico Bilbao received nearly four years ago.
Romelu Lukaku can also probably feel pretty guilty for not hitting the heights of a £97m (Sky Sports) striker.
However, arguably Granovskaia’s biggest mistake in the market is potentially yet to come.
Marina better watch out
Goal recently reported that Real Madrid had made an approach to sign Reece James from Chelsea, with the intention of landing him in 2023.
The Madrid scouts were apparently impressed by the defender’s performance at the Bernabeu in the Champions League quarter-final.
Carlo Ancelotti’s employers have already raided Stamford Bridge once, with the signing of Antonio Rudiger on a free.
Now, it appears Los Blancos want to add another of Thomas Tuchel’s key protectors to their squad.
Reece and Rudi
Letting Rudiger leave for no upfront cost will place a black mark against Granovskaia’s name.
Yet, that stain will be minimal in comparison to the tarnish awaiting her if she allowed James to jump on the same plane to Spain.
The 22-year-old is the present and future of Chelsea.
Next to Thiago Silva, he is arguably the best and most important defender at the club.
In fact, the Cobham academy graduate easily ranks among the finest players across the entire senior camp.
Tuchel’s team are simply not the same menacing outfit without James marauding up and down the right channel.
Sell Reece and Granovskaia will rightly never hear the end of it.
Keep up to date with all the latest Chelsea news and opinion by following The Chelsea Chronicle’s Facebook and Twitter accounts