A couple transfer rumors with which to while away your time at the start of this weekend. Neither name is new when it comes to Chelsea rumors, though obviously one of them is more familiar than the other.
Let's start with the man who inspires Roberto Martinez in the shower, John Stones. It is generally 'understood' and has been since all the summer drama subsided, that Chelsea will go back in for the 21-year-old center back during the January transfer window. Given our issues in defense, that would be just about the least surprising course of action from Mourinho & Co. Of course, Everton just willingly letting money suddenly buy Chelsea some Stones would be surprising, too. Forecast: high drama.
As the Mirror reminds us, Stones and Marquinhos, should we decide to spend in January, will be the two leading candidates for defensive reinforcements. The Mirror also claims that our great saviour Papy Djilobodji will be sent out on loan, since he's expected to continue to be as useless as he's been so far. Big Papy, we hardly knew ya.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Chelsea have been rumored to be looking at yet another young, exciting attacker. Dime a dozen, these kids. Paul-Georges Ntep has been linked with Chelsea as far back as the last winter transfer window, and many predicted that he would move on from Rennes this past summer, too. But no move materialized, apparently partly because no big club even thought to make an offer. Oops.
"If I had to leave, it would have been for a club that really wanted me. If big clubs had put money on the table, we would have talked to them. That was not the case. And the club did not have the desire to release me."
-Paul-Georges Ntep; source: beIN Sports via Express
Ntep's off to a good start this season, so presumably Rennes aren't any closer to letting him go. But, his contract will be up in 2017, so if the Ligue 1 outfit are to cash in on their prized asset, this year would be the year. The 23-year-old wing-forward recently made his France national team debut and has been linked with all the usual big name suspects around Europe.