The winners and losers as Monaco poach Golovin from Chelsea’s grasp

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After an exceptional World Cup campaign, Russian midfielder Aleksandr Golovin has secured a lucrative move to Monaco.

His name rose to prominence during the quadrennial tournament as the hosts defied the odds to reach the quarter-finals, beating 2010-winners Spain en route, before ultimately falling short against finalists Croatia on penalties.

Manager Stanislav Cherchesov orchestrated the sensational run, while Denis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba scored the goals, but one man in particular stood out for his exploits in the middle of the park: CSKA Moscow’s Golovin.

Chelsea were frontrunners to sign the 22-year-old, but the Siberian midfielder has decided to relocate to the French Riviera.

So who were the winners and losers as Monaco gazump Chelsea and sign Aleksandr Golovin on a five-year deal?

Winner: Michael Emenalo  

Michael Emenalo, the former Chelsea technical director and current Monaco sporting director, plays a significant role in Les Monegasques’ transfer dealings, and he has now come back to bite his former employers as his influence reportedly helped prise Golovin away from the Russian capital.

Emenalo raised conflicting opinions during his time in west London, and he ultimately concluded his spell at Chelsea by resigning from the club in November 2017, installing himself at the Stade Louis II shortly after.

The Blues may now be lamenting the loss of Emenalo as it was the second time in July the former Nigerian international has put the club to the sword in the transfer market, after Monaco convinced Chelsea’s highly-rated teenage defender Jonathan Panzo to leave English soil and cut his teeth in Ligue 1 – Panzo was a key member of the England U-17s World Cup winning squad – as Emenalo’s influence is starting making impressive strides in the principality.

Loser: Marina Granovskaia

Chelsea are currently in a state of flux this transfer window, signing just two player: the highly-coveted midfield axis Jorginho and, wait for it, Robert Green. While the former certainly possesses the requisite attributes to transform Chelsea’s style of play, there still needs to be significant investment to provide new manager Maurizio Sarri the tools to flourish.

The five-time Premier League winners’ failure to impose themselves on the market will most likely fall at the foot of the club’s Director, Marina Granovskaia, and while she may not be held solely accountable for the debacle that has manifested over the summer, she will be one of the main culprits.

Granovskaia is involved heavily in transfer negotiations and contractual dealings, and given her ties in Russia – and Chelsea in general for that matter – it seems almost ludicrous that Golovin has snubbed the club.

Winner: Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barkley 

Maurizio Sarri is desperately searching for a player in the mould of Marek Hamsik; a dynamic midfielder who acts as the link between midfield and attack, and one who can perform the role as diligently as the Slovakian did during his time at the Stadio San Paolo.

With Golovin now out of the picture, this presents a fantastic opportunity for either Ruben Loftus-Cheek or Ross Barkley to stake a claim in the starting XI and make the central midfield berth their own.

The duo have so far failed to light up Stamford Bridge during their time in west London for one reason or another, but the potential of both players is certainly vast, and they are both still relatively young.

Loftus-Cheek enjoyed a stellar breakthrough season on loan at Crystal Palace last term and his unorthodox style of play could offer Sarri some significant power and precision in the middle of the park, while Ross Barkley – another ball-carrying machine – could also provide a creative edge and drive in central midfield.

Loser: Maurizio Sarri 

For the ‘Sarrismo’ philosophy to thrive, Sarri will need the right players, but losing out on two key targets in the matter of weeks will come as a significant blow to the Italian tactician. In past seasons this may not have presented too much of a problem for the club, but given the transfer window closes in less than a fortnight, alarm bells will certainly be ringing at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues lost out in their quest to sign Brazilian shot-stopper Alisson, and with Thibaut Courtois’ future still in precarious territory, as well as Eden Hazard, Willian and Alvaro Morata for that matter, this could prove to be a calamitous start to life in London for the former Napoli manager.

Signing Golovin would have gone a long way to alleviating frustrations at the Bridge, but with the deal now faltering, Sarri has very little time to exert pressure on the transfer market and significantly bolster his armoury.

Winner: Russian national team

Stamford Bridge can be a harsh terrain; fail to make an instant impact and you can find your stock significantly plummeting, which is why the pressure to consistently perform is so intense.

Moreover, playing time is never a guarantee at the club, unless of course you are a freakishly good footballer, but given Golovin has only ever plied his trade in the Russian Premier League, there is an element of the unknown about the midfielder – despite his formidable form during the World Cup.

Russia will be looking to build on their sensational World Cup campaign over the summer, and they will want their star performers to continue getting valuable minutes at club level so their international form never diminishes.

Monaco convinced Golovin to join the club because he would get more minutes at the club than at Chelsea, and this can only be a positive factor for the Russian national team, as their talisman can continue to develop and hone his craft – Les Monegasques also secured Champions League football which will give Golovin further opportunities in the continent’s premier tournament.

Winner: Leonardo Jardim 

The tactically astute Portuguese coach has been a revelation at the Stade Louis II, guiding the club to a tantalising Ligue 1 triumph during the 2016/17 season. But, even more impressive than his management skills on the pitch, is his ability to sign players, develop them, and then sell them to the continent’s elite clubs for a bumper fee.  

In the past two seasons alone, Jardim has made the club over £400m with the notable sales of Kylian Mbappe, Fabinho, Thomas Lemar, Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva and Tiemoue Bakayoko. And while he has consistently had his squad ripped apart and dismantled by Europe’s prowling heavyweights, he is still able to build a squad capable of finishing runners-up in Ligue 1 and competing in Europe (though last season was a disaster).

Either way, the purchase of Golovin could pay dividends and prove to be a very shrewd signing for the club, and all without paying the current going rate for top-quality midfielders, which is usually circa £40m.

The post The winners and losers as Monaco poach Golovin from Chelsea’s grasp appeared first on Squawka News.



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