Done Deal - Chelsea Target Signs, ANNOUNCEMENT Imminent

Based on reports by The Metro, Chelsea have lost out in their efforts to sign 18 year-old Jamaican striking sensation, Leon Bailey. Despite allegedly being on the player’s trail for the past few weeks, the afore-mentioned source confirms that Belgian league side Genk, in an unexpected twist, have wrapped up a deal for the 18 year-old, and are set to announce his arrival at the club.

The Blues, however, are not expected to cry over the missed opportunity, as they have proven youthful striker options in the likes of Dominic Solanke, Izzy Brown, Patrick Bamford and Bertrand Traore to call on when needed.

However, Chelsea’s failure to land Bailey would most likely sound pleasing to the ears of the critics of the Blues’ youth policy. Quite a number of young, promising stars have over the past few years, made their way to the Stamford Bridge; only to be shipped out on loan to develop until the unforseeable future.

A number of these starlets have indeed dropped along the way- most notably Gael Kakuta and Josh McEachran- having being loaned up and down and with no visible end to the loaning cycle- until it was decided that they had no future in London.

Of all the club’s players out on loan, only Patrick Bamford- who scored 16 goals while on loan last term- appears likely to be considered by Jose Mourinho for a first-team call-up. As it stands, the club may have to review their loan policy, so as to consolidate on their position as World footballing powerhouses, even till the forseeable future.