Grant tight-lipped on transfer speculation
Bolton striker Anelka is expected to make the switch to Stamford Bridge but Grant diplomatically kept a lid on Chelsea’s transfer plans as his side prepare to face Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup third round today.
But the Chelsea coach did try to allay fears that captain John Terry could miss the rest of the season with the foot injury he sustained in the defeat to Arsenal last month.
Terry has broken a number of bones in his foot but Grant says the player is on schedule to return in February.
However, even the state of Terry’s fitness was overshadowed by transfer speculation with Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and Mikel John Obi all leaving for the African Nations Cup after the QPR clash.
Their loss will deplete Grant’s already stretched squad further, particularly in attack, with Claudio Pizarro the only main available striker for the Carling Cup semi-final first leg against Everton on Tuesday.
Yet Grant would not be drawn on the increasing speculation over Anelka and Tottenham star Berbatov, who has been valued at £30 million by his club.
Spurs have allegedly told Chelsea to stay away from Berbatov but Grant said he was at a loss to explain the situation because they had not spoken to their London rivals about him.
Grant added: “How can we stay away from a player we didn’t discuss about with them? That is very strange.
“I am happy with the squad and all the players who are now in the squad. They will stay in it until the end of the season.”
That would also suggest that Grant has no intention of letting other players leave — including Wayne Bridge, who has been linked with Liverpool.
QPR are now even richer than the Roman Abramovich-backed Chelsea following the takeover of Formula One magnates Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone and steel billionaire Lakshmi Mittal.
The club are starting to rise under coach Luigi de Canio — but they should still lack the quality to trouble Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Rangers have made eight new signings already in the transfer window, at a cost of around £3million.
Akos Buzsaky, Rowan Vine and Hogan Ephraim have turned loan deals into permanent moves while Patrick Agyemang, Fitz Hall, Gavin Mahon, Matthew Connolly and another loanee, Manchester United youngster Kieran Lee, have all joined the Rangers revolution.
Buzsaky, dubbed ‘the White Pele’ by the Rangers faithful and who played under former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho at Porto, is relishing the trip to Stamford Bridge. “We are not going to Chelsea to lose, we are going for a result. But the main thing for us, the main focus, is the league. We want to go forward step-by-step.”
QPR boss Luigi De Canio believes his new-look team are capable of causing injury-hit Chelsea a problem or two.
“In football there are no certain results. Maybe we can beat Chelsea, you never know,” he said.
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