Chelsea has sold its own Kobbie Mainoo for £33m Cobham star

Chelsea’s transfer strategy has taken a lot of time over the past few years, but it feels like Stamford Bridge is stabilizing under Enzo Maresca’s management.

Ranked sixth in the Premier League, the Blues can improve. However, Nottingham Forest leads only three points. Chelsea has plenty of time to correct mistakes over the past few months and intends to attack business months.

However, Chelsea is nursing several major injuries that threaten to derail Maresca’s early progress and you can’t help but think that January might cause more.

Chelsea could have signed in the winter

Chelsea put their finger on the trigger during the transfer market in January. It was an unusually quiet month with its power focused on departure.

However, amid the early knocks of the window, Manchester United reportedly announced that United are willing to sell local players such as Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo to avoid profit and sustainability violations. Chelsea are allegedly keen on both.

Mainoo is particularly interested. The 19-year-old England International has just started and was not signed until 2027, with no sign of a breakthrough.

His long-term file is, but his signing is not critical enough to be inaccessible to the Red Devils’ price for £80 million. However, their curiosity may rekindle.

However, this could be an unnecessary deal.

After all, Chelsea has a vibrant midfielder – they have sold a more complete version of the teenager.

Chelsea has sold its own Mainoo

OK, Mainoo may have a huge future, but has Chelsea not signed a share of the imminent superstar yet?

The blues need immediate influence. For example, in goalkeepers and strike departments, summer recruits must be dazzled at the main stage from the start.

So, Mainoo’s £80million might not be the best track to walk, especially when Boehly and Co have already broken up with Conor Gallagher. Statistically speaking, he is the fifth largest player in the five European leagues (via FBREF) and is considered inconsistent with the way Maresca wants to play.

In August 2024, Chelsea sold homegrown Cobham Midfer Gallagher to Atletico Madrid for £33m, entering the final year of his £50,000 per week contract, and he learned that he had to take part in Maresca’s big plan.

The 25-year-old has played for Diego Simeone’s championship outfit 33 times, but has only started 13 league games.

That said, he was praised for bringing balance and intensity aside, a selfless, outspoken character that elevates some of his peers.

Well, that number certainly suggests that Gallagher’s tenacious game style has some old-fashioned swagger, producing similar outputs to Manchester United teenagers in many fields, most notably through, bringing the ball and the ball’s recovery.

So when considering Mainoo is not yet at the same level as his fellow countrymen, you have to doubt whether Chelsea’s interest is just curiosity.

The Gallagher is a precious gear that fits any tactical engine. They were praised by the “machine” of the midfielder at Moises Caideo, who had to leave his departure.

If Chelsea’s interest in Mainoo is something substantial, then they may already be in the premium version – and the teenage blue.