Transfer Speculation: No-one to Chelsea

In an extraordinary piece of transfer speculation journalism The Sun reckons that Chelsea will sign no-one in January - unless there are injuries.

One can only assume that Africa Cup of Nations has been cancelled because that tournament will gut the club of four regular players for January - with no guarantees that the players will return fit or ready to immediately re-adjust to the Premier League. Once you accept that this short window is all that is available ahead of a possible transfer ban, imposed by Fifa for inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract, and the likelihood of Chelsea not buying reduces further.

The suspension of the ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Chelsea will surely make room for at least a couple of tactical transfer moves. Otherwise if the ban is upheld Chelsea will not be able to buy in a player to help in 2009/10 or 2010/11 - as the ban will then only be lifted in time to allow transfers in the summer of 2011 - for season 2011/12. 2011/12 is an absurd 18 months away - 18 months ago Avram Grant was Chelsea's manager and he's now Portsmouth's manager. That's how much can happen in 18 months.

Of course Chelsea may feel that than the ban is a nonsense that will certainly be expunged - but can they take that chance? I would expect better cover in attack, perhaps a young left-back, possibly an out and out winger for variation and the return of Mancienne would represent the minimum wishlist. Perhaps Chelsea are trying to finesse prices by trying to appear to be not really that desperate at all, honest. But somehow I can't see Chelsea sitting on their hands in January and risk tossing the league title away as a result.

Probability: 1/5

*Is there anything is this speculation? Let us know who Chelsea really need!