COMMENT: It was one blunder. One blunder in an exceptional year for Leicester City. Whoever agreed to that buyout clause in N'Golo Kante's contract knows they've cost the club a fortune.
In the end, under pressure from China, Chelsea paid over the odds. A clear £10 million more than Kante's £22 million option. But for those in the front office, its money well spent. It gave them a little time. A little breathing space. That Kante has kicked off the season like he finished with the champions is a relief. The Frenchman effectively masking the shambles that's gone on this summer inside Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have begun the campaign in thrilling fashion. No doubt. Eden Hazard is reborn. It's like Antonio Conte has uncovered his own new £100 million man. And with Kante playing like a Blues veteran, his team has Stamford Bridge heaving again.
But there'll be bigger tests after the international break. Conte knows this. And its why, for every appearance he makes in front of the cameras, he's spoken of "a crazy market". He knows his squad is short. And as the deadline draws close, there's a growing fear he'll have to make do with what he has.
Leicester had to give up Kante courtesy of a buyout clause. Michy Batshuayi was ferried away from Marseille only after they'd accepted an offer from Crystal Palace. And Eduardo arrived on a free from Dinamo Zagreb, again like Kante, a deal owed more to the selling club than anything Chelsea had pulled off.
But the defence remains untouched: the same back four which leaked like a sieve last season. John Terry is a year older. As is Branislav Ivanovic. Yes, we can argue with Kante in front of them, the defence is stronger this season. And maybe without European football, Terry and Ivanovic can be managed through another campaign. But is that any way for a club of Chelsea's stature to mount a title challenge?
It broke yesterday that Roman Abramovich, Chelsea's billionaire owner, had handed Conte an €80 million budget for the final week of the transfer window. That list of centre-halves they'd discussed on Abramovich's super yacht in May were evaporating. Four months had gone by with nothing to show for it. Four months. Conte had made the team's needs known. There'd been plenty of time. But now, with barely 48 hours to run before the window slams shut, Chelsea are scrambling.
They see 'em coming. Napoli's movie mogul president Aurelio de Laurentiis, he of the spaghetti westerns. Claudio Lotito, Lazio's abrasive, combative owner. And AC Milan's Mr Smooth, Adriano Galliani. They can see Chelsea coming from a mile away. Boasting more money than sense. They need a centre-half. Conte has demanded it. And they'll pay what it takes to get a deal done.
Kalidou Koulibaly, of Napoli, isn't worth €60 million. But Chelsea will pay if ADL agrees. Alessio Romagnoli is no €50 million player at this stage in his career. But, again, Chelsea will cough up if Galliani relents. And what of the latest? Stefan de Vrij of Lazio. Lotito already rejected €25 million from Chelsea last week, with the message 'double it and he's yours'. And inside Cobham they're actually considering it! This has all the hallmarks of the great Djilobodji debacle of 2015...
It's madness. Conte has a player under his nose. A centre-half. Better at this stage in his career than either Romagnoli or De Vrij and with the potential to surpass Koulibaly. But rather than recall Andreas Christensen from Borussia Monchengladbach, Chelsea, while they ring around Serie A clubs looking for a break, are actually contemplating selling the Dane.
Gladbach are convinced a deal can be done. €20 million was offered and rejected earlier this month. Today, they'll return with an improved €25 million proposal. It'll smash the club's transfer record by a clear €10 million. That's how highly they rate the boy.
If Christensen was a Gladbach-owned player - and Chelsea came knocking - no-one would blink at a €50 million valuation. He's there. He's on the books. A Champions League player. A player who Gladbach will proudly make the richest signing in their history. And yet, Chelsea's directors would sooner be fleeced by messrs Lotito or De Laurentiis, than bring Christensen back to London.
It really is a "crazy market".
INJURY TIME
It's working between Antonio Conte and Eden Hazard - for now.
Hazard's outstanding performance in Chelsea's rout of Burnley had pundits showering praise on Conte and enthusiastically discussing his rejuvenation of the Belgian.
It was all about freedom, they claimed. Not demanding Hazard track back. Allowing him to play off the cuff...
But the manager did hook Hazard against the Clarets. As Conte admitted afterwards, there was no injury. No tactical change. It was a straight substitution. A couple of loose passes and being caught sauntering back was enough for Conte. Hazard was benched.
Hazard is Conte's type of No10. Someone who can attack players, create and score goals, drift from flank to flank. It's why he loved working with Emanuele Giaccherini for club and country. Hazard is a class above. But those believing Conte will tolerate the Belgian going off script are in for a surprise.