Despite signing a contract extension in late October to keep him at Stamford Bridge till 2019, Chelsea FC midfielder Ramires is set to swap England for China, with a £25m move to Chinese Super League side Jiangsu Suning imminent
The return of Guus Hiddink to Stamford Bridge has seen Nigerian John Obi Mikel become a fixture in the first-team, with Brazilian midfielder Ramires falling further down the pecking order. The former Benfica man has failed to start a single league game under Hiddink, and has not been able to get on the pitch since playing the full 90 minutes in the Blues’ FA Cup third round win over Scunthorpe.
Nevertheless, in transfer news that appeared to come out of the blue, Ramires is closing in on a move to Chinese Super League team Jiangsu Suning, a side currently managed by former Blues defender Dan Petrescu.
A report by the BBC suggests the transfer fee could be as high as £25m, which would be a tidy return on a 28-year-old squad player who does not seem to have a first-team future at the club, particularly with the commitment Chelsea FC have shown to integrate Ruben Loftus-Cheek into the first team.
It is unclear whether the Blues are looking to reinvest the money immediately in the final few days of the January window, but it is much more likely that a target will be pursued in the summer once a permanent manager is appointed.
Chelsea midfielder Ramires is close to a £25 million move to Chinese side Jiangsu Suning. https://t.co/ZnF7YSg7A8 pic.twitter.com/kOYZFQbn1K
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 25, 2016
Ramires’ sale would be in keeping with current Chelsea FC transfer policy
Over recent transfer windows, there has been a marked change in the club’s transfer policy, in that they are more willing to cash in on squad players in order to ensure they comply with UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. Although Chelsea FC do not necessarily need to sell players in order to buy, it is clear they are happy to do so if the right offer comes along.
Ramires has never really managed to be consistently top-class in Chelsea FC blue, and with the current options available to Hiddink in central midfield, it will not be a surprise if the club hierarchy sanction a sale. It could also mean greater opportunities for Loftus-Cheek in the first team — at least until the summer when the Blues may choose to spend in midfield again.
