The winter transfer window is sowing discord at Chelsea!

Chelsea is no longer scary. Long considered one of the greatest European names, the London club is now navigating the troubled waters of the Premier League. Eighth in the standings and already relegated 14 points behind leader Liverpool, the Blues – little helped by injuries – have been experiencing a series of disappointments for several months. Latest? The setback (0-1) conceded on the Middlesbrough pitch, during the semi-final first leg of the 2023-2024 League Cup. A terrible snub for BlueCo, the consortium led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjörg Wyss and at the head of XXL investments since their arrival at the club.

A start to the winter transfer window which calls out

No less than €617 million was spent during the 2022-2023 season and €460 million in 2023-2024 (i.e. more than €1 billion in a season and a half…). Author of several monstrous operations, like Enzo Fernández, bought in January 2023 for €121 million, or Moisés Caceido, recruited this summer for €133 million, Chelsea nevertheless displays all the difficulties in the world to stand out on the football planet. So, of course, the Blues have recently tried to adjust their sights – like the numerous sales made during the last transfer window (€250M in total) – but the results remain more starving than ever.

Deprived of many injured executives, Mauricio Pochettino was impatiently awaiting this new winter window to have new alternatives. “We are evaluating the squad, as always. We had a conversation with the owners and the sports director yesterday and today. We are looking, like other teams, to seize opportunities. Everything is going well. These are normal conversations that we need to have. There are too many rumors circulating around the club. There is no need to sell if we want to buy players., declared, in this regard, the former PSG coach. Unfortunately for him, this start of the transfer window does not lead to optimism.

Questionable choices…

If Chelsea have just formalized the loans of David Datro Fofana to Burnley and Ian Maatsen to Borussia Dortmund, the arrivals are slow in coming. Still in the race to afford the coveted Victor Osimhen, the Nigerian has already given his agreement to the London team, the Blues – who are still interested in Evan Ferguson (Brighton) and are closely monitoring the situation of the young Messinho (Palmeiras) – have, for the moment, mainly accumulated failures. With this in mind, Chelsea notably had to make up for Ivan Toney, author of 21 goals in 35 matches last season and back with Brentford after a suspension linked to a sports betting affair. Recently questioned about his future, the one who was also announced on the Arsenal side, in fact decided to swear loyalty to the Bees at the microphone of Sky Sports.

“Everyone knows Brentford is a family club, they have been just amazing to me. I can never thank them enough, especially the supporters. They supported me from the first minute. It’s almost like I have a lot to give back. When I come back, I will have a big role to play in getting the team out of its bad streak. I can’t wait to come back and help my teammates.”, admitted the 27-year-old striker. Furthermore and as indicated by the English press, Chelsea were also rejected for the promising Antonio Silva (20 years old), under contract until June 2027. Despite an offer of 52 million pounds sterling, the Blues did not unable to convince Benfica, unwilling to sell him for less than his release clause of 86 million pounds sterling…

More than these two disappointments, it is the general policy of the Blues which raises many questions. While the club’s management promised Mauricio Pochettino to reduce his bloated squad in order to facilitate his sporting choices, while committing to help him strengthen his starting eleven if the results did not follow, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, the two sporting directors responsible for the Chelsea transfer window are not reassuring. Still in charge of the Blues’ signings until the end of the season, the two men would not generally be unanimous. Mass purchases, sales to rebalance, disappointing sporting results, readjusted strategies… the artistic vagueness finally seems, today, to be the only captain of the London ship. To the great misfortune of its passengers…