Chief Sports Writer Lee Ryder, Chelsea have reopened talks with Demba Ba, ahead of a potential move to the Champions League winners. Ryder's Twitter account confirmed that his "colleagues in London" were suggesting that Ba and Chelsea were once more talking... Ba has been one of the hottest topics in world football news in the past few weeks, as it was revealed that his transfer clause would reopen with the start of the January transfer window. Chelsea were almost immediately linked with a move by Sky Sports News with reports suggesting that the striker's representatives would be meeting with Chelsea after the Blues' game against Everton. But then the move was then reported called off, after what were described as "unproductive" talks, with rumours circulating of massive wage demands and inflated agents fees getting in the way of any potential progress. But Ryder's tweet seems to suggest that Chelsea and Ba's representatives are talking once more. Newcastle will face Everton themselves tonight at St. James Park, with questions remaining as to whether Ba has played his last game for the club, though the Telegraph state that Ba WILL play as long as no deal has been confirmed between the player and Chelsea ahead of kick-off. On Monday, Newcastle boss Alan Pardew spoke about the toxic influence of Ba's representatives (via NUFC.com):
"I think Demba's becoming a victim of a few sharks around him. I feel a little bit sorry for Demba because I think people represent him who are not actually representing him. "People out there are fuelling this who are not actually involved. But they want to be involved and that is the sort of world we are in. "I can't remember a situation like this, with this level of speculation and information being put about. That's a frustration for us as a club, massively."
Ba joined the Magpies in the summer of 2011 on a free from West Ham United after the Hammers were relegated, and has scored 13 goals already this term, despite stuttering form from his team.