Chelsea still clearing the decks as they allow winger to join Saudi giants

The transfer window may have closed in England but that doesn’t mean that deals can’t be done elsewhere, with Chelsea still involved with moving players on this summer.

With one eye firmly on Financial Fair Play and staying on the right side of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), there was always going to be a need for a small handful of outgoings this summer.

As it’s turned out, Angelo moving to Al Nassr is, incredibly, the 24th player to leave Chelsea this summer according to transfermarkt.

???? Official, confirmed. Angelo joins Al Nassr from Chelsea on permanent deal.

€23m fee, sell-on clause also included. pic.twitter.com/xo8GMl7f2R

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2024

As ever, transfer expert and CaughtOffside columnist, Fabrizio Romano, was one of the first to break news of the move on X (formerly Twitter).

For a player that never really made an impact at Stamford Bridge, to be able to get a fee of €23m for his services, as well as negotiating a sell on fee, has to be seen as good business by the West Londoners.

Chelsea still a selling club this summer

Whether that’s an end to sales this summer, given that the Saudi Pro League is still open for business, and free transfers have a little longer to find themselves a new home remains to be seen.

For Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, keeping the Blues afloat and competitive over the next few years will be vitally important, though how they’ll react to new manager, Enzo Maresca’s latest outburst isn’t known.

?? Enzo Maresca: “Probably one thing that has to be clear: Chelsea three years ago won the Champions League… but now it is not that kind of Chelsea”.

“Now, sometimes, if you don’t win it is normal”. pic.twitter.com/18uzYqvYap

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 2, 2024

“Probably one thing has to be clear: Chelsea three years ago won the Champions League… but now it is not that kind of Chelsea,” Maresca was quoted as saying by Fabrizio Romano.

“Now, sometimes, if you don’t win it is normal.”

That’s precisely the type of defeatist attitude that would appear to have helped account for Maurizio Pochettino – the last manager in the post before Maresca.