Big-spending Chelsea set for busy end to transfer window

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Chelsea has already spent more in the January transfer window — around $200 million — than every club in the top leagues in Spain, Italy, Germany and France combined.

The London team might not be finished.

The final day of the window could be another busy one for Chelsea and its new American ownership, with the club linked with a move for Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez and potentially looking to balance the books by offloading Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports FILE – Chelsea owner Todd Boehly looks out from the stands before the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Leicester City at Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on Aug. 27, 2022. Boehly, who also owns the Beverly Hilton, is the owner of the Golden Globe Awards. The 80th annual Golden Globe Awards will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 10. (AP Photo/David Cliff, File)

Seven players have arrived at Stamford Bridge this month, including Ukraine winger Mykhailo Mudryk in a deal worth around $108 million and France center back Benoît Badiashile for $40 million.

This comes after Chelsea spent almost $300 million in Europe’s summer transfer window, the first under the new ownership fronted by Todd Boehly following the purchase of the club for $2.5 billion in May.

Chelsea has handed new players long contracts — as much as 8 1/2 years for Mudryk, for example — to allow the club to spread the cost of the signings over the length of the deal and comply with financial fair-play regulations.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk enters the pitch after he replaced Chelsea’s Lewis Hall during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

British media reported Monday that Chelsea was willing to pay a British record fee of 105 million pounds ($130 million) to bring in Fernandez, a World Cup winner with Argentina in December.

Jorginho has been linked with a move to Premier League leader Arsenal and Ziyech is reportedly close to joining Paris Saint-Germain on loan.

Chelsea will hope its latest spending spree helps the team climb the Premier League standings — it is currently in 10th place, 10 points off the top four — in a late attempt to qualify for the Champions League.

Other clubs that could be active are Tottenham, which appears set to sign Spain wing back Pedro Porro from Sporting in Portugal, and Nottingham Forest, which is reportedly close to bringing in Jonjo Shelvey from Newcastle and center back Felipe from Atletico Madrid.

© Provided by The Associated Press – Sports Chelsea’s Joao Felix leaves the pitch after receiving a red card during the English Premier League soccer match between Fulham and Chelsea at the Craven Cottage stadium in London Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Manchester City could be about to send Joao Cancelo on loan to Bayern Munich after the Portugal fullback fell out of favor.

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