Deadline day had become a dull affair recently. Clubs had seemingly become more professional, slicker at getting their summer business done in good time rather than scrambling around for last-minute deals.Throw more money into the mix, though, and things change. This summer’s market has been bizarre, it’s been shocking, and it’s been over the top. None of that prepared us for a deadline day of madness, involving Manchester City’s attempts to sign Alexis Sanchez, Aresnal’s efforts to replace him by throwing silly money at Monaco, only to be rebuffed in unclear circumstances by Thomas Lemar, and Chelsea’s odd day.It started off with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain opting to sign for Liverpool after turning down the chance to join the Blues yesterday, and it ended with Ross Barkley rejecting the Stamford Bridge club, too.

It was a strange transfer window for Chelsea, who can count some good signings. Despite rejections and apparent power struggles behind the scenes, the Blues still managed to attract sought-after talent like Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alvaro Morata to the Bridge, whilst others like Davide Zappacosta - rumoured to be moving from Torino to Chelsea - and Danny Drinkwater could turn out to be very clever signings indeed should the deals get over the line.

But the window was also marked by rejections. It’s strange, for the champions, managed by a respected coach and playing Champions League football again next season, to be in such a position. As well as Barkley and Chamberlain, Dominic Solanke decided to choose Liverpool over staying with the champions, whilst Fernando Llorente has joined Tottenham despite prolonged interest from Conte.

There’s no other word for it but ‘weird’. It’s strange that Chelsea can have a transfer window where players like Danny Drinkwater and Alvaro Morata can look like signings to strengthen a title-winning squad, whilst at the same time have so many failures and blows to look back on. It’s also an odd state of affairs when players like Chamberlain and Llorente would choose Liverpool and Tottenham over Chelsea. After all, they’ve turned down the champions for clubs who probably won’t have the same chance of winning the league next season.

And so, despite Chelsea’s successes this window, it’s legitimate to ask exactly why they’ve been turned down so much by players opting for clubs that don’t seem as glamorous as the Blues.

The transfer window has been an overall success for Chelsea, but their squad still looks thin given their Champions League commitments. And with rumours that Antonio Conte hasn’t been happy with his club’s business all summer, two questions still remain about Chelsea’s window: why exactly have so many players opted to reject the club and go elsewhere, despite Chelsea being champions, and just how angry is Conte about the whole situation?

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