It's called silly season for a reason.
Only in a summer transfer window can Paris Saint-Germain pay £50 million for David Luiz and seem happy with the deal. Indeed, only in a summer transfer window can Real Madrid get caught up in World Cup fever to spend close to an inflated £100 million on two players who impressed in Brazil.
There are other examples besides, but yes, we're at that time of year when club owners go all macho, losing their sense of perspective as they look to outdo their rivals.
It's playground rules: "My um-hum is bigger than yours."
Chelsea appear more frugal in these days of financial fair play rules, but they themselves have been caught up in their fair share of madness. We need only think to the £24 million they splashed on Shaun Wright-Phillips in 2005.
After his World Cup showing, Blues fans must be hoping history isn't going to repeat itself in a roundabout way where Andre Schurrle is concerned.
Only last week, the German midfielder was being linked with a move to Atletico Madrid, the club who have seen three of their best players move to Stamford Bridge this summer—Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Telegraph's Matt Law suggested the reigning La Liga champions were preparing to reinvest the money they received from the Blues to bring Schurrle to the Spanish capital.
And now PSG, a club only too willing to pay large sums in order to secure the next big thing in football, are apparently eager to snap up Chelsea's No. 14, according to French newspaper Le Parisien (via Inside Futbol).
Schurrle isn't Luiz, though. Selling him makes little sense as a business decision, let alone a football one.
Whereas Jose Mourinho has used the money raised from Luiz's sale to strengthen elsewhere in his squad, replacing Schurrle will be a far more difficult task.
Players of his ilk come at a premium—the very premium Chelsea would sell him at.
Besides, unlike Luiz, Schurrle has still yet to reach his peak as a player and has so much more to offer.
After a season spent adapting to English football, the German's pre-season cameos lean to a player who's beginning to look the part.
His excellent World Cup showcased his talents before a global audience, and since returning to west London, he's wasted little time in reminding Mourinho of what he has at his disposal.
Schurrle brings energy, a creative streak and, above all else, the possibility of goals to this Chelsea team.
He narrowly missed out on hitting double figures for 2013/14, finishing the campaign on nine for the Blues, grabbing two assists in the process.
The goals he did score were vital, too—the most notable coming against PSG in the Champions League quarter-final when the Blues needed to get themselves back in the tie.
A hero was needed, and Schurrle answered the call before Demba Ba finished off the job.
Schurrle is a threat and a menace to defences. Without him, Mourinho's evolving team will take a considerable step back.
Mourinho already has Eden Hazard to unlock defences with his skill, Willian and Oscar to graft high up the pitch to press a high line.
What Chelsea need to complement their attacking qualities is a winger like Schurrle, a player who is direct and can create space and opportunities for others by simply running at the opposition and penetrating its defense.
When all else failed in the World Cup final, it was those qualities that helped deliver the trophy to Germany for a fourth time.
Make no mistake, Schurrle's a rising star of the game and will be on hand to repeat his heroics for Chelsea in the years ahead.
Silly season it may be, but should Chelsea allow their German to depart for any price, there are plenty more adjectives that would better describe the move. Crazy is at the top of the list.
Source: Bleacher Report
By Garry Hayes , Chelsea Correspondent
