[size=x-large][font=georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif]Chelsea's Iron Lady Marina Granovskaia lays down law on transfers[/font][/size]
Roman Abramovich's right-hand woman is determined to keep club's wage structure under control - which is bad news for Radamel Falcao
The climate has certainly changed at Chelsea since Marina Granovskaia was put in charge of the club’s transfer negotiations – as Radamel Falcao and Monaco are now finding out.
[size=xx-small][font=georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif][size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]It will not be news to Falcao’s agent Jorge Mendes – who also happens to represent both Jose Mourinho and Diego Costa – but there is an increasingly hard-line approach to the talks.
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[size=xx-small][font=georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif][size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]There had been some claims that Michael Emenalo, Chelsea’s technical director, was driving transfer deals but his remit remains with developing and looking after the young players. Granovskaia deals with Mourinho and Roman Abramovich.
[size=xx-small][font=georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif][size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Chelsea are in negotiations to sign Falcao for a season-long loan and an option to buy. They would prefer not to acquire the 29-year-old outright at present given his struggling form and injury concerns.[/font][/size][/font][/size]
[size=xx-small][font=georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif][size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]While Falcao is certainly prepared to take a big pay cut – his wages at Monaco, which Manchester United picked up in full last season, work out at £265,000-a-week – he has been told to cut even deeper by Chelsea.
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[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Granovskaia is determined not to disturb the club’s wage structure with Eden Hazard the highest-earner on around £200,000-a-week.[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]There is now far greater wage control at Chelsea and Falcao will not be allowed to earn remotely close to Hazard’s rate. A realistic expectation is that Chelsea will want to pay half or less than his present salary.[/font][/size][/font][/size][/font][/size][/font][/size]
[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Monaco want Falcao out and he has stated that he wants to remain in the Premier League. Claims that he will link up again with Andre Villas-Boas, now coach of Zenit St Petersburg, are not correct. The deal is too expensive for the Russian club.[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]It is not just the financial scale of the move that is a problem for Chelsea. It is also believed to be, as one source put it, “very complicated” which may allude to the ownership structure. Whatever happens it is clear that Granovskaia will only agree a deal on her terms.[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]What is also evident is that Chelsea do not want to involve themselves in deals where they are in bidding wars for players – but prefer to activate buy-out clauses in contracts as they did to secure Costa for £32million.[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]It is why, now, they also have, on their list of possible targets, Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke who can be signed for £32.5million and Antoine Greizmann who Atletico Madrid would be powerless to leave should they receive a £43million bid.[/font][/size]
