Chelsea dealt transfer blow as 'not planning' verdict given on player

Chelsea have been dealt a transfer blow today, as it has been confirmed that one of their primary targets - Al Ahli's Roberto Firmino - will not be leaving the Saudi Pro league in January, despite previous reports stating the contrary.

This is according to a report from journalist Fabrizio Romano on X (formerly Twitter). In the last few weeks, Firmino had been expected to leave Saudi Arabia, with reports suggesting that he was 'unhappy' at his current club. Nevertheless, following this U-turn, it appears the Brazilian international has had a change of heart regarding his availability - he had also been linked with a move back to his former club, Liverpool.

For all of Firmino's many talents, his time in the Saudi Pro League has not been as fruitful as one may have initially imagined. He has made 17 league appearances so far, but has only managed to score three goals, alongside a pair of assists. His time at Anfield was comparatively much more successful, as he scored 82 goals in 256 and won both the Premier League and the Champions League along the way.

Who can Chelsea turn their attention to instead of Roberto Firmino?

While the news that Firmino will not be leaving Al Ahli will be a bitter blow for some, it isn't a complete disaster - the Blues still have plenty of irons in the fire that they can turn their attention to instead of the former Liverpool striker.

Chelsea have been linked with top talents such as Viktor Gyokeres, Dusan Vlahovic, Victor Boniface and Even Ferguson (amongst others) in recent months. All of these potential signings are younger than Firmino, meaning that they will likely present themselves as more attractive options to Blues owner Todd Boehly, whose propensity for signing young talents is well-documented at this point.