There is a particular kind of madness that grips the transfer market in Italy. It is a fever that persuades clubs like Como, freshly armed with ambiti...
There is a particular kind of madness that grips the transfer market in Italy. It is a fever that persuades clubs like Como, freshly armed with ambition and a bottomless wallet, to keep knocking on a door that has already been slammed shut twice.GoalZaza understands that Como are ready to submit a third formal offer for Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah. You have to admire the persistence, even if it borders on desperation. The 24 year old defender, a product of the Cobham academy, finds himself in that footballing purgatory where the club want to sell but the player is reluctant to leave. Chelsea have already rejected two bids, and while the exact figures remain under wraps, the message from Stamford Bridge has been consistent. They want a straight sale. No loans. No funny business. But Como, with their project orchestrated by Cesc Fabregas and backed by the might of the Sents family, are clearly not taking no for an answer. Are they being naïve or simply ruthless in their pursuit of a player who offers genuine tactical flexibility, able to operate in a back three or a back four It is a fascinating subplot.Meanwhile, over in Manchester, Pep Guardiola has offered a masterclass in how to shut down a speculative transfer story without raising a sweat. There has been noise, as there always is, that the Italian giants were sniffing around the Etihad for a potential deal. Guardiola, in his typical fashion, dismissed the speculation with the cold air of a man who has bigger fish to fry. The message from the City camp is clear. The squad is locked. There will be no significant departures in this window unless a player forces the issue. For any Italian club hoping to prize a midfielder or a defender away from the Premier League champions, that door is bolted, chained, and the key has been thrown into the Manchester Ship Canal.What this all tells us about the current state of play is that the Premier League remains the dominant financial beast. Como can offer a project and a chance to be a star in a historic club on the rise, but Chelsea want the cash upfront. Chalobah, for his part, would be walking into a Serie A side that is not just fighting relegation but actively trying to build something sustainable. It is a genuine test of his character. Does he stay in London to fight for scraps under Enzo Maresca, or does he take the leap into the Italian unknown The third offer will reveal a lot. It will either be the one that finally gets the deal over the line, or it will be the one that finally forces Como to look elsewhere. In this market, you cannot afford to fall in love with a single target. But someone should tell that to the hierarchy at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia.
