Transfer U-turn for Blues?

Last updated : 22 December 2009 By Paul Lagan

Has the sacking of Mark Hughes forced Chelsea into a U-turn on their self-imposed January transfer embargo.

The appointment of Roberto Mancini will almost certainly come at a price for the Manchester club.

Mancini will be given a blank cheque book to try and sign whoever he pleases as he attempts to lift the club into fourth place this season and thus into the Champions League next season.

The knock-on effect is that Chelsea, who have said numerous times already this past month that they WON'T be buying in January may now be forced into an embarrassing turnaround.

Asked only last week if the Blues will be dipping into the transfer market, Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti said: "I want to make clear that we will not be buying anyone in January - 100 per cent certain."

However rumblings from within SW6 suggest Ancelotti may have not being given the full facts.

Chelsea may be forced into a knee-jerk reaction to nab some of the players they had hoped to get at a later date and at a cheaper price.

Atletico Madrid's striker Sergio Aguero has long being touted for a £40m move to London.

Man City are desperate to scupper that deal and land a body-blow to Roman Abramovich's title ambitions.

City want to be seen across Europe as the big-hitters of the Premier League and thus attractive to the likes of Kaka and Lionel Messi.

The chances of getting the calibre of these players is a little way off, but the club's strategy of undermining rivals Man United and Chelsea in the transfer market will help shorten that time period.

Chelsea's top brass are slowly becoming aware of this and are planning to retaliate - but their public proclamations of no players coming is bound to become something of a public relations nightmare.

So what will happen?

That's now down to Abramovich and the football director Frank Arnesen. Should they press ahead with Aguero - and Saturday's attack look anaemic with Kalou partnering Drogba, they will tell chief executive Ron Gourlay who they want and he has to go get them.

Carlo Ancelotti will have to contend with being presented with players he may or may not want.

I don't think this will present much of a problem for Ancelotti as much as it did Jose Mourinho for instance.

Ancelotti is well versed in the notion of clubs buying players for more than footballing reasons and it's a common practice throughout Europe.

All that Chelsea will need to do then is convince the fans that when the club says one thing and does another - then that's not lying to them or anything but it's just business.

Good luck with that Chelsea.

Have your say on the messageboard now.