If you had said that Chelsea wouldn't sign a single player in the 2024 January transfer window this time last year, you'd likely have been thought a fool.
The Pensioners spent an astounding £323m on new players last winter and another £435m in the summer, so it looked a sure bet that Todd Boehly and Co would be splashing the cash after Christmas this year as well.
However, just because the Blues didn't sign anyone doesn't mean they weren't linked to a number of quality players last month, with perhaps one of the most exciting being Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala.
While fans might be feeling a little disappointed that the young German didn't swap Bavaria for west London this winter, they shouldn't, as it means it should be easier for one of the club's most exciting youngsters to finally stake a claim for a place in Mauricio Pochettino's side.
Chelsea's interest in Jamal Musiala
Chelsea's interest in Musiala was reported by TEAMtalk early on in the window, although unsurprisingly, they weren't the only English side keen, as Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester City were also linked.
Much of the interest seems to have stemmed from the fact that the young German has yet to agree to a new deal with FC Hollywood, which Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano reported via Caught Offside.
However, while it is impossible to be certain, it would appear that the reason this deal failed to materialize beyond simple interest is the same reason that the majority of big deals came to nothing this year: money.
With TEAMtalk claiming that it could cost the Blues up to £87m to secure their man, a deal always seemed unlikely as clubs have become increasingly fearful of profit and sustainability breaches in light of the punishments handed out to Everton and the potential punishments heading the way of Nottingham Forest.
Bringing Musiala back to Chelsea, where he spent his formative footballing years, would have been incredibly exciting and great fun to watch. Still, his remaining in Germany isn't necessarily bad for the Blues, especially if it allows the highly talented Leo Castledine to break into the team.
Leo Castledine could be Chelsea's own Jamal Musiala
Granted, claiming that an 18-year-old with a single senior appearance to his name could become as good a player as Musiala may seem outlandish. However, based on his impressive performances at the youth level and how those who have watched him play talk about him, it might not be.
For example, football talent scout Jacek Kulig stated that the youngster was part of a "crazy amount of talent" at Stamford Bridge just last year, and with the sort of numbers he has been putting up at Cobham, it would be hard to disagree.
So far, the London-born gem has made 94 appearances for the Blues' various youth sides, from the U18s to the U21s and their squad for the UEFA Youth League.
Leo Castledine's Youth Statistics
Appearances
94
Goals
30
Assists
13
Goal Involvements per Match
0.45
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In those appearances, he has scored a genuinely impressive 30 goals and provided 13 assists, meaning he averages a goal involvement every 2.1 games, and considering he would have been around 15 years old when he started making appearances, that is outrageous.
He has also clearly left an impression on one of Chelsea's all-time greats, as John Terry described the dynamic midfielder as "a magnet in the box" when he made his first-team debut against Middlesbrough last month.
Finally, while the young ace prefers to play in central and central attacking roles, just like Musiala, he can be deployed all over the pitch, as he has experience playing as a winger, a centre-forward, and a wide midfielder. He has even played a couple of games at right-back, although it's probably not worth playing him there.
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Ultimately, while it would have been great to bring the young German back to west London last month, the emergence of Castledine should be just as exciting for the Blues faithful – he's got a bright future ahead of him.
