Leicester City continue to stand firm over their £80million valuation of Wesley Fofana. It’s down to Chelsea whether they meet that in the final week of the transfer market and bring the young centre-back to Stamford Bridge.
Thus far, the Blues have had three bids rejected for the France international. The latest was worth around £70m, although with a greater amount paid upfront. The hope was it would tempt Leicester into selling as the money could be immediately reinvested in signings of their own. But the Foxes continue to hold out.
It’s understood Fofana is desperate to complete a move to Stamford Bridge - and he hasn’t featured in Leicester’s last two matches after holding talks with Brendan Rodgers last week. There is a broad agreement over personal terms with the defender, so it’s very much on Chelsea to make the transfer happen.
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If they do and Fofana arrives before next week's deadline, there will be a ripple effect in Thomas Tuchel's first-team squad. Players' futures will be altered, which is only natural at the top level of the game.
The biggest impact could be on Trevoh Chalobah, Chelsea's breakout star of the 2021/22 campaign. The academy graduate started 30 times in all competitions last term but lost his place following an injury in January and featured sporadically during the second half of last season.
Yet with the departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger on free transfers at the start of the summer, the expectation was that Chalobah would move to the front of the centre-back queue at Stamford Bridge. That hadn't happened.
Instead, the 23-year-old has been an unused substitute against Everton, Tottenham and Leeds United. He has dropped behind both Reece James and Cesar Azpilicueta in the battle to play at right centre-back. Fofana's arrival could potentially further limit his chances.
It's why, football.london understands, clubs across the continent are ready to loan him from the Blues for the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.
It's understood Inter Milan - on the recommendation of Romelu Lukaku - have sounded out the defender over a switch to Serie A. Jose Mourinho's Roma are interested too. While tentative offers to remain in the Premier League, have come from Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa. There is also a Bundesliga club keen. It will be up to Tuchel whether a departure is sanctioned.
In a similar situation to Chalobah is Ethan Ampadu. The 21-year-old has spent the last three years out on loan but was brought back into the first-team fold for Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States. That he impressed in friendlies against Club America and Charlotte did him no harm.
Come the start of the Premier League season, though, Ampadu wasn't officially handed a squad number and didn't make the matchday squads against Everton or Tottenham. He was on the bench against Leeds on Sunday but didn't come close to being introduced.
With the World Cup to come in November and Wales in the tournament for the first time in 64 years, Ampadu wants to be playing regular football. It's become apparent that isn't going to happen at Stamford Bridge, even more so if Fofana joins. It's why a resolution is expected in the days ahead, with Ampadu set to leave on loan once again amid interest from clubs in England, Italy and Spain.
Should Fofana arrive at Stamford Bridge before September 2 - potentially in a world-record deal for a centre-back - his signing off would have a positive knock-on effect on James, who has played the two previous Premier League matches on the right of the Chelsea back three.
James' preferred role is right wing-back; it's the position from which he has shown he can dominate games and the one he scored from against Spurs after Tuchel made a tactical change in the second period in an attempt to win the clash at Stamford Bridge.
A vast range of the England international's talents are wasted on the right of defence; signing Fofana releases the academy graduate from that role, and Chelsea would benefit this season as a result. And with Ruben Loftus-Cheek filling in well at right wing-back when required, it would enable the Blues to pause their search for a quality alternative for James until next summer.
Not that they will have to go hunting too far with Tino Livramento's £38m buyback clause from Southampton becoming active ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The 19-year-old is currently recovering from a knee ligament injury but had proved himself an impressive Premier League full-back following his move to Southampton 12 months ago.
If he is able to return to form once he has completed his comeback, which may not be until January, the logical step on Chelsea's part is to bring him back to Stamford Bridge. Whether he could displace James is another matter, although it's not inconceivable that James again features as a centre-back next season with Thiago Silva out of contract next summer and Cesar Azpilicueta another year older.
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