The transfer window truly appears to be kicking into action for Chelsea. Raheem Sterling has finally announced his departure from Manchester City, and the Blues could be set to complete two deals very swiftly with the pace of progress over Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Blues are confident a deal will be done for the Napoli defender as Thomas Tuchel looks to bring in replacements for Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, while the likes of Nathan Ake remain options to bring to Stamford Bridge.
Koulibaly has been a stalwart of Serie A and has been linked with a move to west London in various transfer windows over the last six years, and the 31-year-old now looks set to complete a move. The defender was not present for Napoli's first open session of the summer, and reports suggest an agreement between the Italian side and Chelsea could be made for in the region of £32 million.
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Sterling's arrival will see him become the highest-paid player at the club and is set to inform any negotiations with Mason Mount and Reece James. His contract will provide some indication of how Chelsea's wage structure will look under the new ownership led by Todd Boehly. Any agreement with Koulibaly is likely to do something similar.
Rudiger saw negotiations over his contract slow due to a discrepancy in the fee he hoped to garner and what Chelsea were willing to offer. That does not appear like it will be an issue for Koulibaly, whose weekly earnings appear to have been pitched around £160,000/week. However, it has been suggested he could sign a five-year deal, and that may raise a few eyebrows for those who have followed the club.
Under the previous regime, Chelsea had little room for sentiment even when discussing the futures of club legends. The likes of John Terry, Gary Cahill, Willian, Ashley Cole, Pedro, Cesc Fabregas and Branislav Ivanovic departed the club as they advanced in years and in general, the Blues would only have short-term contracts for those over the age of 30. Clauses for further years can often be included and triggered in deals, but Chelsea have rarely committed themselves to more than 12 months when agreeing new deals with veteran stars.
Bringing Koulibaly to west London would signal a willingness not to be bound by such restraints if it is for the right player. It would perhaps show faith in Thomas Tuchel's judgement too.
Where that leaves the Blues' current crop of players over 30 remains to be seen, but N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Edouard Mendy are all players whose agents could be preparing for discussions with Boehly and may have new demands over the length of any deal.
There are yet to be discussions over a new deal for Kante, while Jorginho's agent expects talks to begin in September over the possibility of a new deal. The duo have entered the final year of their current deals at 31 and 30, respectively.
Juventus have a long-term interest in Jorginho, while the Italian remains focused on Chelsea for the moment. The Blues will have to establish whether they will be interested in the player down the line.
For many, Kante would have been an obvious player to offer a significant deal to. After a season where Tuchel has struggled to keep the Frenchman on the pitch, the kind of contract to offer the World Cup winner becomes more problematic. Tuchel is in no doubt of Kante's quality, but it is clear there is a degree of frustration.
football.london understands that a new contract is planned for Mendy. However, Koulibaly's international teammate is perhaps in the strongest position to command a lengthy deal. The shot-stopper is currently among the lowest-earning members of Chelsea's first-team squad, in contrast to Kante. While goalkeepers generally see their careers last a great deal longer than their outfield counterparts.
Mendy already has three years remaining on his current deal, and improved terms could even see that extend. The 30-year-old's presence has the potential to prove persuasive in any move for Koulibaly.
Whether the bargaining power transcends beyond Mendy remains to be seen. Chelsea's next group of players approaching 30 includes Hakim Ziyech, Mateo Kovacic, Ross Barkley and Michy Batshuayi. It's not unforeseeable that only Kovacic will remain at the club beyond the summer and the 28-year-old's current deal runs until 2024. It might not be a coincidence that is when he reaches 30.
Bringing on Koulibaly on such a contract may bring up some extended conversations over contract length but would seem not to put Chelsea in a difficult position for the moment.
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