Questions ahead of the January transfer deadline

• With only a few days until the winter transfer deadline, there will be plenty of rumours, uncertainty
• From Weston McKennie to Enzo Fernandez rumours to Chelsea’s spendings
• We ask the biggest questions heading into the deadline

With only a few days until the winter transfer deadline, there will be plenty of rumors, uncertainty, and last-minute deals to be had. But one thing is certain: deadline day deals.

SportsLeo ask the biggest questions heading into the deadline:

Will Chelsea stop spending?

Chelsea have signed Joao Felix on loan until the end of the 2022-23 season. Photo/ Chelsea Football Club.

Chelsea has had an extraordinary transfer window in every sense of the word, and the Blues appear to be just as busy before the deadline. Chelsea has signed Benoît Badiashile from Monaco for £35 million, David Datro Fofana from Molde for £8 million, Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama for £18 million, Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk for up to £89 million, Noni Madueke for £30 million, and Joo Felix on loan for £11 million.

They have spent nearly £200 million in the winter window after spending more than £260 million in the summer window, setting a Premier League record.

Todd Boehly and company may also be ushering in a new era of transfer tactics by offering lengthy contracts on a scale never seen before in the sport (six- to eight-year deals) to avoid Financial Fair Play rules potentially.

Chelsea isn’t finished yet. According to European reports, Chelsea is preparing a bid for Lyon’s Malo Gusto, a 19-year-old right-back valued at around £35 million.

The Blues are also looking for a central midfielder, with links to Moisés Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton. Those players are a fallback plan if the club cannot land its top target, an Argentina World Cup star.

Will Weston McKennie join the Premier League?

McKennie looks to move away from Juventus this January.|PHOTO: TEAMtalk|

McKennie now appears to be the most likely US men’s national team player to make a move this winter, though even that appears unlikely. Juventus recently docked 15 points for financial irregularities after its board resigned, dropping the club to tenth place. Selling one of its best performers this season in the middle of the year would be asking a lot, incredibly, this late in the window.

Even so, the Juventus midfielder hasn’t escaped the transfer rumour mill. McKennie has been linked to Leeds United in recent rumours.

McKennie shares an agent with USMNT and Leeds winger Brenden Aaronson, and he’d be in good company at Leeds with USMNT captain Tyler Adams and manager Jesse Marsch. Aston Villa and Arsenal have also been linked with him, though a move could cost up to £35 million.

What’s happening around Europe’s top leagues?

While the Premier League has set a new record for winter transfer window spending, the world’s biggest clubs have been relatively, if not wholly, silent. This month, neither PSG, Real Madrid nor Barcelona have made a signing. Given Barcelona’s recent financial difficulties and subsequent restrictions, it makes sense. Still, PSG’s only transfer business was the sale of Pablo Sarabia to the Wolves, while Real only loaned out one player.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich was forced to make a couple of signings due to season-ending injuries to two starters. After defender Lucas Hernandez tore his ACL during the World Cup, Bayern signed free agent Daley Blind from Ajax.

With the news that goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had broken his leg in a skiing accident during the winter break, the club signed Yann Sommer from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Will Enzo Fernández stay?

ENZO FERNANDEZ. Photo by TeamTalk

Chelsea is reportedly once again interested in signing Fernández. After reportedly agreeing to personal terms with Fernández, the Blues appeared set to spend £106 million to activate the Benfica star’s release clause at the start of the transfer window. Then came the mind games, with Chelsea reportedly attempting to negotiate a lower fee. At the same time, Benfica accused Chelsea of attempting to turn the midfielder against Benfica in order to force an exit.

Now, news outlets in England are reporting that Chelsea is ready to resume talks for Fernández, who was named World Cup Young Player of the Tournament after assisting Argentina to victory.

Benfica refuses to accept anything less than the entire release clause, and if Chelsea signs it, their winter spending will exceed £300 million. Boehly is currently in 10th place in the league table, and the only thing he can’t buy at this point is points.