Chelsea Won't Spend In January, Says Mourinho

In a move that is uncharacteristic of Chelsea throughout the Abramovich era, manager Jose Mourinho has stated that the Blues will not look to strengthen their squad by bringing in another striker this January. Many suspect that the upcoming transfer window was the perfect opportunity for Chelsea to solve their striking woes with yet another splash of the cash.

Mourhino was quoted as saying;

“It’s not true what I read a couple of days ago, that his [Martinez’s] agent was in London meeting with me.

In the January market we are not going to buy any strikers.

We are going to the end of the season with Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba. No one is coming in, no one is going out.”

The Blues forward trio of Samuel Eto’o, Demba Ba, and Fernando Torres, have all struggled to perform this season, and fears have been raised among Chelsea faithful that this weakness may limit their chances of claiming a fifth Premier League crown. Trying to understand Mourinho’s reluctance to do business, one may point to logistics and timing. With Chelsea’s Romelu Lukaku also out on loan, an incoming purchase would probably necessitate at least some sort of clear out, and finding a buyer for Torres or Eto’o, both of whom demand substantial wages, might not be easy at this time of the year.

Instead, the Portuguese manager will be hoping that a misfiring forward line can be supplemented by the immense creative talents of his midfield. With Eden Hazard finding the form of his life, new signing Willian, and the ever consistent Oscar continuing to impress, goals from the centre of the park may allow Chelsea to get by without a world class centre forward.

Obviously it is by no means unheard of for a manager to be deceptive with the media regarding potential transfers, and there’s every chance Mourinho’s words will be proven false. Speculation suggests that potential targets for a January poach may include Porto striker Jackson Martinez who according to many reports has a release clause of 30 million pounds or there about.

However, should Mourinho be serious and end the winter window with no striker signing, it will remain to be seen how Mourinho intends to solve Chelsea’s striker problem.