In the 2013 book The Numbers Game, two American economists theorise that football is a weak-link sport; it is not about the quality of your best player but the fallibility of your worst. Buy Gianfranco Zola and he will light up Stamford Bridge, sure, but he won’t stop Frank Sinclair slotting home for the visitors. The research was put forward to Premier League owners, but co-author David Sally later revealed that the strategy didn’t capture the imagination of the “Russian oligarchs”.
However in a sign that Chelsea are now coming around, the Blues are willing to swap their all-frills winger Eden Hazard for Juventus’s no-frills centre-half Leonardo Bonucci, while signing Lazio’s right wingback Felipe Anderson so Antonio Conte can go all three-at-the-back on us and finally ditch poor ol’ Branislav Ivanovic. Though hasn’t Gary Cahill been looking rather weak-linkish recently? The Mill loses track. A stumbling block is Anderson’s long-term contract in Rome, but heartwarmingly the 23-year-old Brazilian has switched agents to a Chelsea favourite, Kia Joorabchian, raising hopes of a deal.
Other Chelsea exits are imminent: Nemanja Matic is certain to be leaving west London having been photographed shopping with his agent in Milan, while summer-signing Michy Batshuayi has caught Milan manager Vincezo Montella’s eye. The Belgian striker will move to the San Siro in a January splurge along with Manchester United’s forgotten man, Matteo Darmian. José Mourinho has instead seen some confidence he’d like to shatter in Everton full-back Séamus Coleman – Manchester United will have to part with £16m to get their hands on him.
Bastian Schweinsteiger is likely to leave Old Trafford for MLS in January having kept himself trim and away from José Mourinho in the gym. Meanwhile his team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been playing scout, telling Juventus and Paris St-Germain to snap up Swedish striking sensation Alexander Isak from AIK, though the 17-year-old is also beeping radars in Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, and Leicester.
Liverpool and Everton are preparing for a tug of war across Stanley Park for the Lille midfielder Soualiho Meïté, currently on loan at Belgian side Zulte-Waregem. The 22-year-old is thought to be worth around £6m. Tottenham are also scouring Ligue 1 and have spotted 20-year-old defender Emanuel Mammana. The Argentina international has a £9m buy-out clause written into his contract at Lyon.
Out-of-work Chris Powell is leading the race to take over at out-of-manager Derby County, following the affable Nigel Pearson’s falling out with top brassthere. Steve Bruce will find out whether he has landed the top job at Aston Villa this week.
And former Southampton renegade and guitar strummer Dani Osvaldo could turn down a move to Napoli as he prioritises his music career.
