Chelsea have already sold their own Kobbie Mainoo in £33m Cobham star

Chelsea’s transfer strategy has left plenty to be desired over the past few years, but it feels like Stamford Bridge is stabilising under Enzo Maresca’s management.

Sixth in the Premier League, there’s plenty the Blues could improve. However, Nottingham Forest are but three points ahead in third place. There’s plenty of time for Chelsea to right the wrongs of the past few months and attack the business months with intent.

However, Chelsea are nursing several key injuries that have threatened to derail Maresca’s early progress, and you can’t help but think more could have been done in January.

Who Chelsea could have signed over the winter

Chelsea kept their finger off the trigger during the January transfer market. It was an uncharacteristically quiet month, with the powers that be focusing on departures.

In the early knockings of the window, however, The Athletic reported Manchester United were open to selling homegrown players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo to avoid profit and sustainability breaches. Chelsea were allegedly keen on both.

Mainoo was of particular interest. The fledgling England international, 19, is contracted until 2027 and there have been no signs of a breakthrough.

He’s on the long-term dossier, but his signing was not deemed vital enough to entertain the Red Devils’ price tag of £80m. Their curiosity may be rekindled down the line, though.

However, this may be a somewhat needless deal.

After all, Chelsea have a packed and dynamic midfield – and they’ve already sold a more complete version of the teenager.

Chelsea have already sold their own Mainoo

Okay, Mainoo might have a big future ahead of him, but haven’t Chelsea signed their share of soon-to-be superstars?

What the Blues need is instant impact. In goalkeeping and striking departments, for example, summer recruits must be ready to dazzle on the major stage from the outset.

So £80m for Mainoo may not be the best track to walk down, especially when Boehly and Co have already parted with Conor Gallagher. He is statistically the fifth most similar player to the Three Lions starlet in Europe’s five leagues, via Fbref, and was deemed incongruous with the way Maresca wishes to play.

In August 2024, Chelsea sold homegrown Cobham midfielder Gallagher to Atletico Madrid for a £33m fee, having entered the final year of his £50k-per-week contract, informed that he would have to settle for a bit-part role in Maresca’s grand plans.

The 25-year-old has played 33 times for Diego Simeone’s title-chasing outfit but has only started 13 league matches.

That said, he’s earned praise for bringing balance and intensity to the side, noted for a selfless, out-of-the-headline role that has elevated some of his peers.

Well, the numbers certainly suggest there is a bit of old-school swagger to Gallagher’s dogged style of play, producing similar output to the Manchester United teen in a number of areas, most notably pass completion, carries and ball recoveries.

Thus, when considering Mainoo’s not yet at the same level as his compatriot, you have to wonder whether Chelsea’s interest is anything more than curiosity.

Gallagher is an invaluable cog, capable of dovetailing into any tactical engine. Hailed as a “machine” of a midfielder by Moises Caicedo, they must rue his departure.

If Chelsea’s interest in Mainoo is a thing of substance, they might have already parted with a superior version – and a boyhood Blue at that.