The transfer window is almost shut for another winter and it's safe to say that Chelsea haven't been particularly active.
The Blues have redployed some of their loan stars with Juan Castillo and Jamie Cumming finding new loan teams in Charlton and MK Dons, while Kenedy has returned to Cobham after a spell with Flamengo.
Tariq Uwakwe and Lewis Baker have left on permanent deals to Crewe Alexandra and Stoke City, while the Blues completed their only signing with the addition of Dylan Williams from Derby to settle into the development squad.
Understandably Chelsea's inaction in signing a new wing-back has left many frustrated. The Blues appear to have failed to convince Lyon to allow Emerson Palmieri to cut his loan short, but no other move has came to fruition.
While it is hoped that Reece James will return in February, Chelsea heading into January without either of their starting wing-backs was far from ideal. Names such as Lucas Digne and Sergino Dest were linked to the club but Thomas Tuchel conceded early in the window finding players at Chelsea's level in January would be difficult.
It is perhaps not the first time within the last 12 months that the Blues could be accused of dawdling.
In the summer, with Andreas Christensen, Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta all entering the final 12 month of their deals, Chelsea were firmly linked to signing Jules Kounde.
However, the Blues left it until late in the window after Kurt Zouma had departed the club and saw their £42.5 million offer rejected with the Spanish side demanding their £69 million release clause be met.
“The proposal for Kounde last summer [from Chelsea] was great, the most important we received in our history - but it wasn’t meeting our price tag," explained Sevilla sporting director, Monchi, in an interview with Canal Sur Radio. "Also, we received the bid in an inopportune moment.”
It was a fee Chelsea did not want to meet and as such the deal was not done. It has left the Blues in perhaps a weaker position in negotiations going forwards with either new players or contract extensions being more crucial than what they would had Kounde arrived.
However, by standing firm, reports in Spain suggest a bid in the region of £45 million could prove tempting to the Spanish side in the summer, after Kounde was left frustrated by the situation in 2021. A substantial improvement from what the Blues could have paid as time to deal narrowed in August.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea can get the deal over the line with Sevilla's stubbornness already on display this month. The likes of Newcastle United were in the hunt for Kounde's partner in defence, Diego Carlos, but the Spanish side rejected their offer outright, leaving the suspected £66 million release clause as the only way of doing a deal.
Monchi's comments on the bid were eerily familiar.
Speaking to BBC Sport's Alex Bysouth, Monchi is quoted as saying: "The Newcastle offer has been a good offer, a respectable offer, I have to say that.
"But the offer, our board, our management team, felt that it wasn’t enough."
Nevertheless, Sevilla's quest for the La Liga title will be over come the summer, leaving little excuse if a respectable bid comes in for either player. Chelsea should find themselves with a better opportunity to complete the signing.
Likewise, come June, Chelsea are still likely to need a wing-back. If Marcos Alonso has been deemed not substantial enough back up to Ben Chilwell on his own during a busy schedule, he is unlikely to be so next season.
Outside of the pressure of January, hopefully, new and better opportunities arrive in the summer.
