With the Community shield match coming up and more than one unconvincing performance in the preseason, Chelsea are in a desperate mood for additions before the season begins, with Wigan’s Victor Moses first in line, hopefully finally completing the negotiations for the 21 year old after a month or so of chasing the player.

Moses, who has recently started playing for the Nigerian national side, has played for Wigan over the last three seasons, enjoying a real breakout year in 2011-2012, scoring six goals and adding six assists in another relegation battle ending in a positive way. Wigan wanted £10 million for the player, but will probably have to settle, with the season just around the corner, for £8 million. The problem for Wigan is that a huge chunk of that transfer fee will go to Moses’ first club, Crystal Palace.

Moses, as talented as he is, isn’t likely to make an immediate impact, unless Di Matteo is planning something we don’t know. With Fernando Torres, Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar while Marko Marin, Daniel Sturridge and Romelu Lukaku all trying to fit in four attacking spots, it’ll be very hard for Moses to find a regular place in the lineup, at least on his first season. Chelsea haven’t given up on a bit bigger and more expensive names as well.

The Hulk transfer, which seemed settled a long long time ago became an impossible negotiation. Porto refused to budge from their ridiculous demands (while Chelsea wouldn’t move above €35-40 million, quite right to do so) not just because they value the player so highly but because of the third-party owners, the curse of every transfer involving a Brazilian player.

André Schürrle is another player Chelsea have been chasing all summer, but have been rejected now three times by Bayer Leverkusen. Still, another bid worth £25 million might convince Rudi Voller to change his mind at the last minute and finally agree to the deal, unlikely as it sounds at the moment.

There were grand plans at the beginning of the summer for Chelsea. Eden Hazard was just the beginning, but Roberto Di Matteo isn’t happy with how things have been going during the preseason matches. It is just the preseason, but we’re just under two weeks away from the 2012-2013 Premier League kick off. No Hulk, no Schurrle, which are the two players they really wanted. Oscar? A big unknown, despite the hefty price, who also spent all summer with the national team and might need a bit of resting time before he’s brought into the fold.

The European champions still have a few cards up their sleeve, but time is running out for them to pull them. Another season like last year in the league won’t help Roberto Di Matteo, no matter how he does in the Champions League, knowing the owner to be a less than patient man when his demands and expectations aren’t met.

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