Chelsea to keep €10m striker in reserves rather than integrate him to a squad which needs one | OneFootball

The majority of European transfer windows may be closed, but Chelsea are still trying to tidy up some of their odds and ends before it’s too late.

The Greek window is one of the few still open, and reports have claimed that Chelsea are trying to flog at least one player in that direction before it shuts. David Datro Fofana has been training with the outcast group all summer, and didn’t really have any interest either on loan or for a permanent move – at least judging by the lack of concrete rumours.

But today Nizaar Kinsella has claimed that a move to AEK Athens is now “considered off” because the Greek club couldn’t match the terms Chelsea wanted for the striker. It seems like the Blues want a permanent sale, at more than the €10m they paid – but those sums are almost unheard of in Greek football.

Chelsea to keep a striker in the reserves – despite needing a striker

Given Chelsea ended up not signing a striker, and Marc Guiu is the only number 9 on the books to back up Nicolas Jackson, plenty of fans would question why DDF isn’t kept around just in case he’s needed. But reports from a few weeks ago claimed that the idea is going to be to use players like Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix as “false 9”.

We’ll see how that works out. As for Fofana, at this rate he’s going to add a second wasted second to his first at Chelsea. He must be desperately regretting his €10m move at this rate. If he’d stayed put in Norway, or moved somewhere he would get a chance, it feels almost certain his career would be on a better trajectory. Instead, he’s been a spare part at Stamford Bridge since the day he arrived.