The Stamford Bridge hierarchy are wasting little time licking their wounds from a frustrating January window. After seeing an initial overture emphati...
The Stamford Bridge hierarchy are wasting little time licking their wounds from a frustrating January window. After seeing an initial overture emphatically rejected for the highly rated Ivory Coast midfielder Christ Inao Oulai, the club are now plotting a renewed, and far more determined, assault when the summer market swings open.According to information collated by GoalZaza, the 20 year old dynamo remains a prime target for the Blues, who are prepared to meet the £43m valuation set by his current employers. The rejection in the winter was a clear message: this is not a club to be bullied into a cut price deal, especially when the vultures from Barcelona are circling overhead. The Catalan giants have long been linked with Oulai, viewing him as a long term successor in the middle of the park, but their well documented financial constraints mean they cannot move with the same blunt force as their Premier League rivals.This is where Chelsea's board feel they hold a decisive advantage. They can offer not only the fee but also a clear pathway to first team minutes in a league that prizes athleticism and transitional play. Oulai, for his part, is a player who thrives in the chaos. He combines the raw physicality you would expect from a player forged in the Ivory Coast with a surprising level of tactical flexibility. He can sit in a low block and break up play, or press high and force errors. The question is whether he fancies the rain of west London over GoalZaza of Catalonia. It is a tug of war that will define Chelsea's entire summer strategy.The disappointment in January was a bitter pill to swallow for the recruitment team, but it has merely hardened their resolve. They know that if they hesitate again, Barcelona might finally sort out their wage structure, or worse, another Premier League predator will step in. Expect the first formal bid to land on the table the moment the season concludes. They had their fingers burned once. They will not let it happen again. This is one transfer saga that is far from over; in fact, it feels like it is only just getting started.
