I have a good feeling about this one as Conor must see that the writing is on the wall for him at Chelsea if they are bringing in yet another midfielder and paying over 100m euros for him.

We may be a bit cash strapped at the moment but don't forget that we don't pay for transfers all up front

I said last week that I didn't think this would happen, but wouldn't be surprised if it did. While I stand by that, I think the chances of it happening are increasing by the hour. Why? Simply because a loan with the option to buy looks like right now, it really would suit all parties.

For us, Conor gives us an oven-ready fix for the next three months, and we need one. We all know midfield has to be strengthened, and if we sign Ahamada today having Conor lets us bring him into the PL a little more slowly, which might make sense. If Ahamada did hit the ground running and make an immediate impact, there's no reason he, Doucoure, and Conor couldn't play together. It's win-win. Furthermore, we've wanted to sign Conor for a long time but if we sign Ahamada now, we'll probably not have the cash to do so until the summer. Loan with an option to buy makes a lot of sense.

For Chelsea, they're at a point where they simply have to get players off the books because they have too many for their 25-man squad. If they haven't made a permanent decision about Conor's future, sending him to us for three months (somewhere he appears happy to go and they know he'd develop further) would let them delay that decision for once and for all until the summer, knowing they had an instant buyer if they decide they are happy to sell him then and if not, knowing he'd have another three months good experience if they wanted to keep him.

I would imagine there's at least a fair chance this one happens. It makes too much sense to be impossible.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

That all makes sense and I would soooo love it to happen but I reckon they want him out and cash in which we probably can't afford to do.
I am sure they would prefer him with us from a competition point of view though, so who knows.

It certainly hampered us in the Summer, that's for sure.
We were told he was ours and then Chelsea pulled the rug.
I don't think it will this time though as it appears that we are hampered by our lack of cash more than anything and are after scraps.

This is why I think a loan to buy is the perfect answer for all parties.

If Chelsea wants him out, and they HAVE TO reduce their squad size at least for the remainder of this season, then Conor is likely to be someone who goes. If the above is true, the question isn't what will happen, but only where is Conor going to go.

Ultimately, Chelsea probably does want cash, but they don't need it urgently and a loan gives them three more months to make a final decision about Conor with a guaranteed buyer at the end of it if they decide to sell.

Clearly, they don't want him to strengthen an immediate rival so Newcastle is probably out. Plus, if does leave Chelsea it now seems like we are Conor's preferred destination. In short, a loan and an option to buy is a win for everyone. We get the player we want now but can hold off spending money we won't have until the summer window to buy him permanently (if he's available). Chelsea solves its squad size problem now while buying time to make longer-term decisions about his future. Conor is as happy as he can be without having made it at Chelsea, playing every week for a manager he likes. Chelsea hasn't strengthened a rival.

It's almost like the biggest question now is "why wouldn't this happen?" If Chelsea signs Fernandez, I'd have thought we have a very good chance of getting this over the line. I'd imagine the hotline between Selhurst Park and Stamford Bridge is very much open and given the history between the parties, this would be a very easy deal to conclude quickly if it's on the table.

Sydenham by birth. Selhurst by the Grace of God.

If it's true that Everton offered £40m for him, then that's a good indication of the transfer fee when he goes on a permanent deal.

And I can't see Palace paying that.

I don't think he'll be coming in on loan either.

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