Chelsea are running out of time, and everyone inside and outside the club can feel it. With less than a week left before the transfer window shuts, the lack of urgency around player exits has started to worry fans, journalists, and even people close to the squad. January is always a difficult window, but this one feels particularly messy for Chelsea, a club still trying to fix problems created by years of chaotic recruitment and unclear planning.
Several players remain stuck in limbo. Raheem Sterling’s future is still unresolved. Axel Disasi, despite being reintroduced to the first-team squad at Cobham by new head coach Liam Rosenior, is still widely expected to leave before the deadline. Young winger Tyrique George thought his future was sorted months ago when he believed he was joining Fulham, only for that move to collapse and leave him wasting away on the sidelines. These situations paint a picture of a club struggling to move players on quickly and decisively.
Sterling’s case has sparked especially heated debate among supporters. Some fans believe he still has plenty to offer. They point to his experience, his understanding of attacking movement, and his ability to influence games when used correctly. Others are far less forgiving, questioning his fitness, his hunger, and whether he still has the intensity required to play at the top level. The online arguments reflect a deeper divide within the fanbase about what Chelsea should value right now: experience or a clean break from the past.
There was genuine interest from Napoli, Chelsea’s Champions League opponents, in signing Sterling. Talks were believed to be underway at one point, raising hopes that a solution was close. But suddenly, the noise went quiet. No agreement. No breakthrough. Just silence. And with each passing day, the chance of finding the right deal becomes smaller.l
Disasi’s situation is not much clearer. Liam Rosenior bringing him back into first-team training suggested a possible rethink, or at least a temporary solution to squad depth issues. But most reports still suggest Chelsea are keen to move him on before the window closes. Keeping him without a clear role helps nobody. The player wants clarity, the club needs space, and uncertainty only creates frustration.
Tyrique George’s story is perhaps the most painful. A young player believing his career was about to move forward, only for everything to collapse at the last moment. Since then, his development has stalled. For a player at such a crucial age, wasted months can be damaging. Chelsea’s inability to quickly find him another move has only added to the growing criticism of how the club handles young talent.
Yet among all these unresolved situations, another name has quietly reappeared, one many Chelsea fans may have already forgotten. Deivid Washington.
Signed from Santos in 2023 for around £17 million, Washington arrived with promise and expectation. He was seen as a long-term project, a young striker who could be developed carefully and eventually become part of Chelsea’s future. But things have not gone to plan. His early months were spent mostly with the under-21s, and despite flashes of ability, he never truly pushed his way into first-team thinking.
In February 2025, Chelsea decided the best option was to send him back to Santos on a season-long loan. The hope was that regular football in familiar surroundings would help him rediscover confidence and sharpness. But even that move did not change his trajectory in the way Chelsea had hoped.
Since returning, Washington has been playing for Chelsea’s under-21 side in competitions like Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy. The results have been disappointing. Seven appearances without a goal have raised serious questions about his form and confidence. For a striker, goals are currency, and right now, Washington is broke.
It is against this background that a new possibility has emerged, and it comes from an unexpected direction. According to reports, City Football Group, the ownership group behind Manchester City, are considering offering Washington a move this month. The idea is that he could join Bahia, one of the clubs within the City Group network, as part of a broader development plan.
This is where the contrast between Chelsea’s ownership model and City Football Group’s structure becomes clear. BlueCo, Chelsea’s owners, have been criticised repeatedly for lacking clear pathways for young players. They sign talent in bulk but often struggle to explain how those players will move step by step toward first-team football. In Washington’s case, it is believed that Chelsea failed to present a convincing long-term plan that made sense to the player and his representatives.
City Football Group, on the other hand, specialise in selling a vision. They do not just offer a club. They offer a journey. A move to Bahia would not be sold as a dead end, but as part of a structured pathway that could eventually lead back into European football. That is a powerful argument for a young player who still believes in his potential.
The reports suggest that Chelsea have no intention of using Deivid Washington in the first team this season. With attacking options like Liam Delap and Joao Pedro already ahead of him in the pecking order, there is simply no space. As a result, the club are open to negotiating another temporary exit. From Chelsea’s perspective, it reduces wage pressure and avoids having an unhappy player stuck in the youth setup. From Washington’s perspective, it offers a fresh start.
The involvement of City Football Group adds another layer of intrigue. Their strong focus on the English game and their global network of clubs give them a unique advantage. They can promise game time, tailored development, and exposure in different footballing environments. For a player whose confidence has dipped, that kind of support can be crucial.
At Chelsea, however, the sense is that Washington’s time is running out. When you look at the club’s attacking options and future recruitment plans, it is hard to see where he fits. Even if he improves, the competition is fierce, and Chelsea’s recent history suggests patience is limited. Young players who do not progress quickly often find themselves forgotten.
That does not mean Washington’s career is finished. He is still young. He still has time to grow. But he needs the right environment, regular minutes, and a clear role. Sitting between the under-21s and an uncertain future helps nobody.
This potential move also highlights a broader issue facing Chelsea. The club’s squad has become bloated, filled with players at different stages of development and with different expectations. Managing that many careers is incredibly difficult, especially when results on the pitch demand immediate improvement. January windows like this expose those cracks.
Fans can see it. Players can feel it. And rival clubs are watching closely.
Manchester City’s owners stepping in to offer a solution Chelsea could not provide is symbolic. It suggests that while Chelsea continue to buy aggressively, others may be better at nurturing what they buy. For City Football Group, signing Washington would be a low-risk gamble. For Chelsea, letting him go would be an admission that another project has failed to take off.
As the deadline approaches, pressure is mounting. Sterling needs clarity. Disasi needs resolution. Tyrique George needs a fresh chance. And Deivid Washington needs a plan that actually works. Every hour that passes without movement increases the risk that these players remain stuck, unhappy, and underused.
Chelsea cannot afford that anymore. Not financially, not competitively, and not reputationally.
If Washington does end up moving to a City Football Group club, it will raise uncomfortable questions about Chelsea’s ability to develop young talent. It will also serve as a reminder that football is not just about signing players, but about guiding them.
For now, nothing is confirmed. Talks are ongoing. Possibilities are being explored. But one thing is clear: Deivid Washington’s Chelsea story is drifting toward a quiet ending, and Manchester City’s owners may be the ones offering him a way out.
As for Chelsea, the clock keeps ticking. The window will close soon. And when it does, excuses will no longer matter. Only decisions will.
