Stamford Bridge is quiet. Too quiet, maybe? For a club that basically treats the transfer window like a high-stakes supermarket sweep, the current vibe in West London is... weirdly calm. If you’re looking for the usual "Todd Boehly drops £100m on a teenager you’ve never heard of" headline this morning, you’re gonna be disappointed.
Honestly, it's a bit of a shock to the system.
We are officially midway through January 2026, and the big news isn't a flashy arrival at Heathrow. It’s the guy in the dugout. Liam Rosenior is the new boss, taking over from Enzo Maresca just last week. And if his first few press conferences are anything to go by, the "latest Chelsea transfer news" is actually more about who is leaving or staying put than who is arriving in a private jet.
The Rosenior Effect: No More Panic Buying?
Look, we all know the drill. Chelsea usually spends January trying to fix whatever went wrong in August. But Rosenior seems cut from a different cloth. He’s already gone on record saying he wants to "assess the group" before he starts demanding new faces.
"I think if we do, it needs to be the right player," he told reporters on Thursday. He basically hinted that the answers might already be in the building. That’s a massive shift in philosophy for a club that has spent nearly £1.5 billion since the 2022 takeover.
Does he actually mean it? Or is this just a way to keep the prices from skyrocketing?
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Probably a bit of both. But right now, the focus is squarely on the center of defense. With Levi Colwill dealing with injury issues, the club is looking at options, but they aren’t in a rush. Names like Jeremy Jacquet (the 20-year-old from Rennes) and Como’s Jacobo Ramon are floating around Cobham. Jacquet has been decent in Ligue 1 this season, and Ramon has that "Cesc Fabregas seal of approval" since he’s been playing under the former Blues legend in Italy.
But don't get your hopes up for a Saturday unveiling. It’s all very "wait and see" right now.
The One That Didn't Work Out: Buonanotte’s Quick Exit
If you blinked, you might have missed Facundo Buonanotte's Chelsea career.
He arrived on loan from Brighton on Deadline Day last summer. He was supposed to be the "Cole Palmer insurance." Fast forward five months, and he's already gone. The club terminated his loan this week, and he’s headed to Leeds United to help their promotion push.
It sorta sums up the scattergun approach the club is trying to move away from. Seven appearances, one goal in the Carabao Cup against Lincoln City, and a whole lot of sitting on the bench. It just didn't click.
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Who's Actually Out the Door?
While the "In" list is empty, the "Out" list has some actual movement.
- Leo Castledine: The Academy graduate is officially a Middlesbrough player. He signed a permanent deal on January 9 for about £2 million. Honestly, it’s a good move for him—he was killing it on loan at Huddersfield (12 goals in 27 games) and deserved a permanent home where he’ll actually play.
- Nicolas Jackson: This one still feels surreal, but he’s currently at Bayern Munich on a short-term deal.
- Liam Delap: On the flip side, Chelsea activated his £30 million release clause from Ipswich Town earlier in the window. He’s the physical presence up top that the squad has been missing.
Then there are the "Exiles." Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi are still on the books, but let’s be real—they aren’t in the plans. The club is desperately trying to find suitors, but their wages make it a nightmare. If a Saudi club or a desperate European giant doesn't come calling by February 2, they might be stuck training with the U21s for another six months.
The South American Pipeline Still Flows
Even if the first team is being "cautious," the scouting department is still addicted to wonderkids. It’s like a reflex at this point.
The club has already locked in several future deals that will kick in this summer. We’re talking over £56 million committed to teenagers. Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP is the big one—£42.1 million, but he stays in Portugal until June. Then you’ve got Denner Evangelista (the cousin of Arsenal’s Gabriel) coming from Corinthians.
It’s the same old Chelsea, just with a longer fuse.
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What Actually Happens Next?
If you’re a fan, you’re probably wondering if the Victor Osimhen or Fermin Lopez rumors have legs. Honestly? Probably not this month. The club is under strict UEFA "positive transfer balance" rules. They can't just throw £150 million at Barcelona without selling half the squad first.
Expect a quiet end to the month. Rosenior is more likely to recall a few loanees—like Teddy Sharman-Lowe (who was Bolton's Player of the Month) or Caleb Wiley—than he is to break the British transfer record again.
Actionable Insights for the Rest of January:
- Watch the Defense: If a deal for Jeremy Jacquet happens, it’ll be in the final 48 hours.
- The Sterling Situation: Keep an eye on late-window loan offers for the high earners. Getting those wages off the books is priority number one.
- Rosenior’s Tactics: Watch how he uses Liam Delap in the coming games; it’ll tell you everything about whether he thinks he needs another striker.
The "New Chelsea" is supposedly about stability. We'll see if that survives the first time they lose a game they should have won.