![LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Alvaro Morata of Chelsea is shown a second yellow leading to a red card during The Emirates FA Cup Third Round Replay between Chelsea and Norwich City at Stamford Bridge on January 17, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_850,h_560,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F01%2F906224032-chelsea-v-norwich-city-the-emirates-fa-cup-third-round-replay.jpg-850x560.jpg)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Alvaro Morata of Chelsea is shown a second yellow leading to a red card during The Emirates FA Cup Third Round Replay between Chelsea and Norwich City at Stamford Bridge on January 17, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Chelsea moves for Palmieri and Dzeko signals lack of transfer plan
Chelsea FC are trying to complete a double-deal for two of Roma’s star players within the next week.
Chelsea FC are trying to close a deal to strengthen two areas of weakness from the same club. With moves for Roma’s Edin Dzeko and Emerson Palmieri Chelsea will resolve two of their issues at the same time. The two new faces will undoubtedly remedy Chelsea’s need’s for back-ups at left wing-back and striker but will not invariably improve the club.
Edin Dzeko is a better backup than some of the other options that Chelsea had been linked with in Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch. He is a very safe option though. Carroll at times could win a match on his own. That is not something that is ever said of Dzeko.
He was not a full success during his first stint in England and the years since will not have made him any more threatening. THere is some credence to the theory that Dzeko’s issues in England were more mental than physical and so perhaps Chelsea will benefit from his second coming. That though is hard to prove.
Dzeko if he’s content to be could be a serviceable back-up but isn’t someone who’s really going to test Morata.
Emerson Palmieri seems to have talent but is something of an unknown factor.
Chelsea needs to stop doing transfer business in this manner. Antonio Conte wanted Alex Sandro. So get Alex Sandro. He didn’t want a random left wing-back. Alex Sandro is a player who is built with far more of the necessities of the Premier League. He is stronger, faster, and taller.
Chelsea though appears to be trying to get a deal done as quick as humanly possible. Every player in the world is an individual. Conte can coach but it would be better for him to coach the players that he wants to wouldn’t it?
Chelsea appears to again be taking the scattershot approach to signings. It is not a method that serves the club well. The lack of a truly cohesive transfer strategy has hurt the club for years. It is not as important to spend money as it is to spend money well. It’s true with the implication of Financial Fair Play Chelsea were always going to be knocked back a little bit.
But if they had a tangible and reasonable approach to transfers that allowed them a certain level of tactical acuity from the recruitment through coaching levels the club would be in better position.
It’s unfortunate but the transfer of Dzeko and Palmieri appear to be symptomatic of a larger issue that needs to be solved if the club is going to continue to represent the interest of London against the two Manchester clubs and Europe.