It’s sometimes overlooked just how good a job Frank Lampard has done at Chelsea without being able to make any transfers. He’s integrated a lot of the young players and still looks set for a top four finish.
You could also argue that the team has benefited from playing without pressure because of that. The players knew they couldn’t be replaced and there was a ready made excuse if it all went wrong.
This could be a huge test of Lampard’s managerial ability now that they can sign players again. We should get an idea if he can identify suitable players and integrate them into the team.
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Their last official signings were Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic but they had either been on loan at the club or confirmed for a while, so according to Sky Sports the club have made an offer to end that transfer drought.
They claim that Benfica midfielder Gedson Fernandes is the player in question, with Chelsea reportedly making an 18 month loan offer with an obligation to sign him for £55m.
That seems like a large fee for a player who’s only played in seven league games this season, but he does look promising and his versatility could be useful. He can play anywhere in midfield or in either wing back spot, so that could be useful to Lampard.
At this points it’s only “Sky sources” that have indicated this so we don’t know if a move is close, but it certainly sounds like Chelsea are looking to add some players this month.