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Chelsea transfer ban is a ‘blessing in disguise’ for ONE player - EXCLUSIVE
CHELSEA’s impending transfer ban is a “blessing in disguise” for striker Tammy Abraham, who has been loaned out by the Blues for the last three seasons.
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That is the opinion of former Crystal Palace and Blackpool boss Ian Holloway.
Chelsea are appealing a two-window transfer ban, handed to them by FIFA for transfer dealings with youth players, to Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The club vehemently deny any wrongdoing but the ban has not been suspended during their appeal, meaning they are currently unable to sign any players.
That has put Chelsea in a pickle, with talisman Eden Hazard expected to leave for Real Madrid while Maurizio Sarri still lacks a reliable striker.
Olivier Giroud was awarded a one-year contract extension this week after excelling as a back-up, but Alvaro Morata is on loan at Atletico Madrid until the end of next season.
Michy Batshuayi returns this summer after a six-month stint at Crystal Palace, while Gonzalo Higuain has failed to impress in his similarly long audition at Stamford Bridge.
The other notable frontman on the club’s books is 21-year-old Tammy Abraham, who graduated from the Chelsea youth farm.
After contrastingly successful season-long loans at Bristol City and Swansea, Abraham has come of age at Aston Villa this term, netting 25 league goals.
Thank God they've got a transfer ban; who else are they going to buy who's over 30?
EFL expert Ian Holloway has regularly watched the striker this campaign and, when asked by Express Sport whether the gangly No 9 has what it takes to lead the Blues line, he simply asserts: “I do. I think it's a blessing in disguise for Chelsea.
“Thank God they've got a transfer ban; who else are they going to buy who's over 30? Seriously, that ain't the way to run a football club. If you buy someone who's over 30 then you're never going to get your money back.”
There is a gravelly passion to Holloway’s words, fuelled by a desire to see top English talent flourish in England.
Young players will only improve with opportunity, he repeats, acknowledging that Abraham’s stint at Swansea in 2017/18 did not pan out as all parties had hoped.
Abraham scored eight times in 39 appearances for the Welsh side, and Holloway opines: “The thing that didn't help him was he went to Swansea when Swansea weren't as good as they were before.
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“He didn't score enough. But that was his first season in the Premier League. I believe, now, he's proven at Championship level, he'll go back [to Chelsea] and he will score goals in that top side.
“Particularly a side like Chelsea because they will dominate the ball and create a lot of chances. Put him in the Man City team up front with a number 9 on his back - would he score? Course he would.
“It's about time Chelsea got rid of these mercenaries coming over there, trying to keep their manager in a job. Build a club, build a team.
“And if you're not going to do that, stop stacking and racking the best young players around. Let other people have them and let them play.”
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