The Chelsea transfer market also taking a winter break

There’s one week left before the winter transfer window SLAMS shut, though in this case, it really is expected to be much more of a soft close, like those overengineered modern cars that slowly pull in the door and latch it in place. My uncle used to yell at us as kids for slamming the doors on his BMW as if they were, in his words, “lavatory doors”. He’d be very happy.

Much like most of the Chelsea squad, who are now on a weeklong winter break, the Chelsea transfer window looks set to take a break in this final week as well. While the rumor mill will try their best to keep us in the news — Ousmane Dembélé, Niklas Süle, every left back, etc. — it’s not looking at all likely that we will do anything of consequence or significance. That of course does not sell clicks, or views on Fabrizio Romano’s Twitch channel.

If there is to be any movement, it’s likely to involve Loan Army strugglers, or fringe players like Ross Barkley or Kenedy leaving maybe on loan — though news around them has been very quiet — or perhaps a last-minute breakthrough with our recall attempts of Emerson from Lyon.

And there are of course still the expiring contracts of Antonio Rüdiger, Andreas Christensen, and César Azpilicueta that need to be dealt with, but those resolutions (regardless of whether they sign or not) are not tied to the January transfer window.

So, let us enjoy this break and recharge.