Chelsea are not familiar with quiet summer transfer windows and as it stands, there’s no sign of bucking the trend in 2025.
Since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital takeover three years ago, the Blues have welcomed 39 permanent signings through the doors.
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Maresca is unlikely to have a shortage of midfielders at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Fernandez and Caicedo have been impressive for the Blues this seasonCredit: Getty
Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have been their two biggest arrivals with respective £106.8million and £100million transfers.
The South American duo are Chelsea’s go-to pairing in midfield, but that hasn’t limited their purchases in that position on the pitch.
Romeo Lavia and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remain options for manager Enzo Maresca, with Mathis Amougou their only winter signing.
Chelsea also have stars out on loan this season, and talkSPORT understands they have agreed to sign Sporting Lisbon wonderkid Dario Essugo as part of a deal which will see teammate Geovany Quenda join the Blues.
They could have as many as ten midfielders on the books once the summer arrives, and talkSPORT.com has looked at the potential plans for each.
Current stars
Fernandez and Caicedo, barring an incredible turn of events, look set to remain as their key assets in the midfield.
Both of their contracts run until at least 2031 and with a combined 52 Premier League starts this season, it’s clear Maresca trusts them.
Ankle and hamstring injuries limited Lavia to just one appearance for Chelsea last season but his fitness has improved since.
Although he has just returned from another hamstring issue, the 21-year-old is a fellow talent hopeful of a long-term future at the club.
Dewsbury-Hall thrived under Maresca at Leicester City and followed him to Chelsea last summer in a £30million transfer.
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Injuries have affected Lavia’s progress but he’s still shone when playingCredit: Getty
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Dewsbury-Hall doesn’t appear to be a key midfield option at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Amougou has played just once since signing for the BluesCredit: Getty
However, it hasn’t worked out for him as he has made just one start in the Premier League since completing his move to Stamford Bridge.
West Ham were interested in signing him in January and an exit could be a possibility again this summer, whether on loan or permanently.
French youngster Amougou signed from Saint-Etienne last month in a move reportedly worth around £12.6million.
He made his debut in their 4-0 win over Southampton but as per the BBC, a loan move to sister club Strasbourg next season looks likely.
Out on loan
Chelsea have seen the benefit of sending young talent out on loan to Strasbourg, with Andrey Santos having an excellent campaign there.
The 20-year-old has scored eight goals in 24 Ligue 1 appearances and looks set for a first-team squad role at his parent club next season.
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Santos has been one of the most impressive players in Ligue 1 this seasonCredit: AFP
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Chukwuemeka could swap Chelsea for Dortmund on a permanent basis this summerCredit: Getty
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Ugochukwu could be given another loan spell away from the clubCredit: Getty
Carney Chukwuemeka was a bright spark for the Blues last year but has found himself out of favour under Maresca.
He featured only five times before a February loan move to Borussia Dortmund, who have the option to make his switch permanent.
Southampton have Lesley Ugochukwu until the end of the season, a player who has already played 12 times for Chelsea.
The Frenchman has made ten league starts for the Saints and may move on loan elsewhere for more experience in the summer.
Future prospects
Essugo looks set to become the latest starlet to join the Chelsea project with a move from Sporting.
Martin Keown reacts to Cole Palmer’s poor form and believes it is down to key Chelsea star being out injured
The 20-year-old is currently on loan at LaLiga side Las Palmas but is on course for a switch to London ahead of next season.
As reported by The Athletic, Chelsea plan to have Portugal U21 star Essugo as cover for Caicedo.
Kendry Paez will join the Blues this summer from Independiente del Valle after a stunning rise in Ecuadorian football.
He has already made 17 senior appearances for his country at the age of 17, scoring two goals.
Paez will also arrive as a deputy option as per The Athletic, this time deeper in midfield for Fernandez despite being more attacking.
Chelsea have more midfielders in their ranks such as Omari Kellyman, who has only played for the U21s and announced on Tuesday he’s out for the rest of the season due to a hamstring injury.
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Essugo looks set to be the next wonderkid arrival at ChelseaCredit: Getty
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Paez is eyed as one of the most exciting talents in South AmericaCredit: Getty
Cobham academy product Leo Castledine is on loan at Shrewsbury Town, with Alex Matos spending the season at Oxford United.
Joao Felix joined AC Milan but plays more as a forward, whilst Renato Veiga is at Juventus and primarily plays in defence.
The summer could therefore see another window with plenty of outgoings at Chelsea, with incomings surely set for other positions.
Maresca will have many options at his disposal in midfield for pre-season before the number whittles down for the new campaign.
Chelsea star Ben Chilwell is ruled out until December due to a hamstring injury.
The 26-year-old picked up the problem during the Blues’ 1-0 Carabao Cup win over Brighton last Wednesday.
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Chilwell is ruled out of action until Christmas with a hamstring injuryCredit: getty
According to the Daily Telegraph, Chilwell’s recuperation process could leave him out for as long as eight weeks, and thus until December.
Chilwell was ruled out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the World Cup in Qatar last November, also with a hamstring injury.
He later returned to the squad in February, before managing to regain his place in the side.
The Chelsea defender has been a mainstay in the side, missing just one of their Premier League matches so far this campaign, which was their 2-0 win at Fulham on Monday night.
Chilwell said on his Instagram story: “Can’t catch a break. Believe me, I am more frustrated than you guys.
“All I can do now is help the team as best as I can from the sidelines, until I can get back to giving everything for the club on the pitch again. Ups and downs but that’s just life.
“Just focused on getting this club back to where it deserves to be. Thank you as always for the love, Chels fans [blue heart emoji].”
Mauricio Pochettino provided an update on his current situation prior to the Blues’ victory at Craven Cottage.
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Chelsea boss Pochettino has a long list of injuriesCredit: getty
“I think it’s bad news,” the Argentinian boss said.
“From what the doctor told me it’s not a good thing, it looks like a bad injury.
“But we need to assess in the next few days and we’ll see the period that he’s going to be absent from the squad and the team. But it doesn’t look good.”
Chilwell joins a long list of players currently sidelined, with fellow defenders Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana and captain Reece James all out.
Midfielder Romeo Lavia, who joined the club in the summer from Southampton, Carney Chukwuemeka, and forward Christopher Nkunku, are also sidelined.
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The Premier League season is underway, but there’s still time for teams to make some last-minute moves before the transfer window slams shut.
This year, the typical August 31 deadline day has been moved for Europe’s top five leagues due to midweek match fixtures.
The transfer window will instead close at 11pm (British Standard Time) on September 1. That’s 8am AEST Thursday 2nd September.
So far this window, six Premier League clubs have net transfer spends over €100m ($A169m), with Manchester City set to join them when they confirm the €65m arrival of winger Jérémy Doku from Rennes.
But a host of big names could still be set to make moves in the final week before the transfer window slams shut.
One of the longest-running transfer sagas of this off-season, Lukaku’s future remains well and truly up in the air.
According to respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Lukaku has not even spoken to Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino – and appears unlikely to get a look-in at the Blues this season, after the club gave him an extended break in the off-season to seek a move elsewhere.
The most likely destination appeared to be Inter Milan, where he scored 14 goals on loan last season (and where the Belgian striker played before signing for Chelsea in 2021).
But a $63m move collapsed in spectacular fashion after Inter found out he was secretly negotiating a transfer to their rivals Juventus.
Juventus are financially thinly stretched and cannot afford to sign Lukaku without offloading the likes of Duhan Vlahovic, who they offered to the Blues in a swap deal – only to be rejected.
If Juventus can sell Vlahovic, a deal for Lukaku appears likely.
But if they can’t, Lukaku’s only real option appears to be Saudi Arabia. He rejected a move to Al-Hilal earlier in the window to try and continue his career in Europe’s top divisions.
But with precious little interest outside of Juventus, he could be forced to backtrack and accept a move to the Middle East – or else spend a season on the fringes at Stamford Bridge.
Romelu Lukaku has had a frustrating window – and it could get worse.Source: AFP
Mason Greenwood
The 21-year-old Manchester United attacker was viewed as one of the most talented young forwards in the game and valued at over £100m just two years ago.
Sickening audio and video of the player with a former partner was posted online in January 2022, leading police to charge him with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was stood down by the club, before police dropped the charges this February after key witnesses including the alleged victim stopped co-operating with the investigation.
CEO Richard Arnold said in an open letter to supporters: “While we were unable to access certain evidence for reasons we respect, the evidence we did collate led us to conclude that Mason did not commit the acts he was charged with.”
Greenwood said: “I did not do the things I was accused of, and in February I was cleared of all charges” [which is not correct, given the charges were dropped after witnesses stopped co-operating with police].
Greenwood’s contract with United runs until June 2025, but he’ll now need to find a new club. However, given the club faced immense backlash over suggestions Greenwood could return to their first team – forcing them to backtrack – other clubs will be wary of signing the youngster who managed 35 goals in 129 senior appearances for the Red Devils.
Mason Greenwood in January 2022, his final game for United.Source: AFP
According to The Sun, Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq were ‘considering’ an offer worth up to £10 million-a-year. But the club’s manager, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, branded that ‘fake news’ on social media.
Nevertheless, another of Saudi Arabia’s cashed-up clubs could make an offer given their remarkable spending spree this window.
The Sun also claimed former United manager Jose Mourinho is interested in signing him for Italian side AS Roma after an injury to Tammy Abraham left them short of attacking options. But their interest was quickly refuted by Italian media.
Another report has stated Juventus and AC Milan could be tempted into a move (Juve on a loan deal). AS Monaco in France is also looking for attacking reinforcements and could be a potential landing spot.
A report by the Mail claims Turkish sides Galatasaray and Istanbul Basaksehir are also interested, with another report stating Fenerbache could also be in the mix, while the newspaper also states that two unidentified Championship clubs (England’s second tier) withdrew their interest after preliminary talks with the player.
At this stage, it appears unlikely Greenwood would remain in England given the extremely negative public opinion towards the player.
But Manchester United has not terminated his contract and it is unclear whether they would let him go for free, seek a transfer fee for his exit, or potentially angle for a loan move.
‘It’s not going to change the game’ | 01:02
Mohammed Kudus [UPDATED]
Ghana international Kudus is a superstar at Dutch giants Ajax, and they’re desperate to keep hold of a player who has already picked up a goal and an assist in their first two games of this season.
But the 23-year-old attacking midfielder/winger is in hot demand in the Premier League. Brighton were interested earlier in the window, and even agreed a deal in principal for a reported £34.5 million. But the deal fell through – and the Dutch club has pumped up their asking price amid interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham.
West Ham have seen two bids for the player rejected in the last week, most recently a reported £36m offer. Ajax value the player at a reported £44m or £47m according to differing reports, but West Ham are reportedly unwilling to go above £41m.
The Ghanaian and 2022 World Cup star topped Ajax’s scoring last season with 18 goals in 42 games (all competitions).
After West Ham missed out on Rennes winger Jérémy Doku, who moved to Manchester City for £55.5m, they will be pushing hard to bolster David Moyes’ squad.
UPDATE: According to multiple reports, a deal is now on the brink of being agreed. The Athletic claims the initial fee will be worth €41.5m, with an additional €3m in add-ons. Ajax will also receive 10 per-cent of any fee should West Ham sell the player on.
Mohammed Kudus has already bagged a goal this season.Source: AFP
Folarin Balogun
The young American attacker is on Arsenal’s books for now, but is unlikely to remain there by the end of the transfer window. The 22-year-old impressed on loan to French club Reims last season with 21 league goals in 37 games and has become a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs, but has been left out of Arsenal’s squad for the first two games of the new season.
Misfiring Chelsea are reportedly interested in a bid to cure their lack of goalscoring bite, and the Evening Standard reports the Gunners’ forward is open to moving to their cross-London rivals. But Arsenal would seek a significantly higher £50m fee from a cashed-up Premier League rival than an overseas club.
Injuries to Chelsea attackers Carney Chukwuemeka and Christopher Nkunku has left the club desperate for late signings, but the Daily Mirror says a compromise of around £40m could be reached.
A return to France in the form of Monaco had appeared the strongest possibility before Chelsea’s injury crisis forced them back into the market.
Monaco had a £34 million bid rejected for Balogun but remain in deep talks with Arsenal.
Fulham is also mulling a bid to replace star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic who joined Al-Hilal, but would struggle to contend with Chelsea should there be a bidding war.
Dean Henderson
It’s all action at Manchester United’s goalkeeper section right now. First they backflipped on a new deal for David de Gea, who remains without a club after a big-money move to Saudi Arabia fell through. According to reports, Bayern Munich appears a possible destination.
Now Dean Henderson is expected to depart after the £43.8m (plus add-ons) arrival of Andre Onana, who has taken the no. 1 role for the Red Devils. Crystal Palace lead the race ahead of Nottingham Forest, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
His pending exit has United looking for a new back-up gloveman – especially with their other back-up, Tom Heaton, battling a calf complaint.
Manchester United goalkeeper #24 Andre Onana could have some new competition soon.Source: AFP
United are in talks with Turkey goalkeeper Altay Bayindir of Fenerbahce, with a Turkish report claiming the club has offered £6 million for a player who has been given permission by his club to seek an exit.
It’s not the only back-up keeper United has been linked to, with 20-year-old Japanese keeper Zion Suzuki rejecting a £5m transfer earlier this window to focus on playing time with the Urawa Reds ahead of next year’s Olympics.
Greece international Odysseas Vlachodimos of Benfica is also a reported United target. Vlachodimos has been left out of the Portuguese side’s squad in recent weeks with an exit highly likely after the club signed a new number one.
Mauricio Pochettino urged Chelsea to “believe in the process” after Michail Antonio’s superb strike and Enzo Fernandez’s penalty miss condemned the Blues to a 3-1 loss against West Ham.
After last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool, Pochettino’s side wasted a lively performance as they paid the price for sloppy defending and wasteful finishing at the London Stadium.
Antonio blasted West Ham’s decisive second goal after half-time and Lucas Paqueta added a late penalty to leave Pochettino still waiting for his first Premier League win since taking charge in the close-season.
Chelsea teenager Carney Chukwuemeka had scored an eye-catching first half equaliser to cancel Nayef Aguerd’s early opener for West Ham.
But the turning point came when Fernandez’s penalty was saved by Alphonse Areola just before the break.
Antonio netted soon after the interval and Chelsea couldn’t respond despite Aguerd’s dismissal for a second booking midway through the half.
Paqueta, reportedly the subject of an FA probe into betting breaches, applied the knockout blow in the final seconds.
“Teams like us, we need to get the right balance. I think there were a few actions we didn’t manage well and we conceded,” Pochettino said.
“We create many chances and should have won the game with our first half. It was the frustration when we miss the penalty. We were playing well and we didn’t get the reward.
“Disappointed but this is only the beginning. We need to believe in the process.”
Dating back to last season, Chelsea have won just five times in 31 league matches, while their only victory in their last 14 top-flight games came at Bournemouth in May.
They have also lost four successive top-flight London derbies for the first time since 1990.
Much of the blame for those dismal statistics lies with Pochettino’s predecessors Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, who struggled through a turbulent campaign that ended with Chelsea’s lowest finish since 1996.
West Ham United’s players celebrate their third goal. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)Source: AFP
Pochettino has been tasked with cleaning up the mess, but despite recent signings of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia taking Chelsea’s total spending under owner Todd Boehly to more than £850 million ($A1.69 billion), the squad remains a work in progress.
Putting his faith in a largely youthful team is a gamble from Pochettino, whose side’s lack of experience was exposed in the seventh minute.
James Ward-Prowse’s corner was whipped to the far post, where Morocco defender Aguerd easily evaded Conor Gallagher and Chukwuemeka to nod home from six yards.
Dominating possession after that setback, Chelsea deservedly drew level in the 28th minute.
Kurt Zouma miscued a weak clearance and Chukwuemeka cleverly shifted the ball away from Tomas Soucek before smashing a fine finish into the far corner from 12 yards.
Chelsea were in command and Raheem Sterling’s driving run won them a 42nd minute penalty after the winger was sent tumbling by Soucek’s clumsy tackle.
But Areola plunged to his right to make a superb save from Fernandez’s tentative spot-kick, denying the Argentine midfielder his first goal for Chelsea.
Ange claims first EPL win against United | 02:46
Antonio had just five touches in the first half but the West Ham striker made the most of a rare involvement in the 53rd minute.
Chelsea defender Levi Colwill and Axel Disasi were bullied by Antonio, who took Ward-Prowse’s pass and used his strength to manouevre into position for a ferocious strike that flashed past Sanchez from the edge of the area.
With an hour gone, Ecuador midfielder Caicedo came on for his Chelsea debut after joining from Brighton for a British record fee of £115 million ($A228 million).
Caicedo blazed over from distance with one of his first touches in a Chelsea shirt.
Aguerd’s 67th minute red card, earned for a clumsy second booking when he chopped down Nicolas Jackson, handed Chelsea a potential lifeline.
But the visitors laboured to mount a response and Caicedo’s debut to forget was complete when he fouled Emerson in stoppage-time, conceding a penalty that Paqueta fired past Sanchez.
“Caicedo has had a nightmare since coming on. It’s a poor, lazy challenge,” Jamie Carragher said on Sky Sports of the incident.
While it was an underwhelming showing from Chelsea’s new signing, Jamie Redknapp gave Blues fans a reason to believe the best was yet to come from Caicedo.
“Caicedo hasn’t had any minutes for 60 days and you can see that rustiness,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
“Only the manager knows whether he was ready and he isn’t quite there yet. He will get better. As it can only get better after giving a penalty on your debut.”
Moises Caicedo of Chelsea. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
INJURIES STRIKE AS EVERTON SLUMP TO NEW LOW
Meanwhile, Aston Villa won for the first time this season as they routed Everton 4-0 to erase the bitter taste of last weekend’s thrashing at Newcastle.
Tipped to improve on last season’s strong finish, Villa were hammered 5-1 on Tyneside in a shockingly bad start to their Premier League campaign.
But Unai Emery’s side got back on track in the Villa Park sunshine as goals from John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran brushed aside woeful Everton.
Emery will hope Villa’s biggest victory of his reign kick-starts a season in which they will compete in Europe for the first time in 13 years after qualifying for the Europa Conference League.
“Today we were very, very angry to get our performance at home and to forget last week’s match,” Emery said.
“We needed to react like we did. We did a lot of things good but there are some moments we can do better.”
Everton have less lofty ambitions after narrowly avoiding relegation last season and Sean Dyche’s men already look destined for another grim fight for survival.
Beaten 1-0 at home by Fulham last weekend, Everton have lost their opening two games in tame fashion.
It is only the third time Everton have been beaten in their first two league matches without scoring a goal and the first since 1956.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Dyche also had to contend with the sight of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alex Iwobi both coming off injured.
Aston Villa crush dreadful Everton | 00:30
“I won’t make any excuses. Really soft goals changed the feel of the stadium and the feel of our performance,” Dyche said.
“Villa had more edge. They were far better than us. That was not good enough. It was way off where we want to be.”
Hampered by fitness and form issues, Calvert-Lewin had managed only four goals since August 2021 and scored just two last season.
Incredibly, the striker’s injury woes resurfaced when he needed lengthy treatment on a facial cut following a collision with Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez early in the first half.
Calvert-Lewin was able to continue but Everton fell behind in the 18th minute. Bailey sprinted onto Moussa Diaby’s pass and cut the ball back to Scotland midfielder McGinn, who emphatically volleyed home from close-range.
Philippe Coutinho (C) walks off the pitch after getting injured. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFPDominic Calvert-Lewin receives medical attention. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Source: AFP
Villa doubled their lead six minutes later from the penalty spot after Everton keeper Jordan Pickford caught Ollie Watkins with his out-stretched arm as he tried to punch clear.
Luiz stepped up to slot the spot-kick past Pickford, who was booked for trying to delay the penalty in an unsuccessful bid to distract the Brazilian.
Looking tentative whenever the ball came near him, Calvert-Lewin finally came off before half-time with blood still scarring his cheek wound.
Iwobi limped off to add to Everton’s problems and Villa added insult to injury with a third goal in the 51st minute.
Mac Allister shown RED on Anfield debut | 00:37
Dismal defending by Michael Keane allowed Bailey space to plant a powerful drive past Pickford from 12 yards.
Many of Everton’s travelling fans had seen enough as they streamed towards the exits from Bailey’s goal.
It proved a wise move as Duran scored 47 seconds after coming on to complete the demolition in the 75th minute.
Keane was guilty of more sloppy defending, missing his kick to allow Duran to slot home.
On an otherwise perfect day, the only frustration for Villa was a late injury to Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho.
Mauricio Pochettino is back in the Premier League with the tough task of putting the pieces back together after Chelsea’s disastrous first season under their new ownership.
The Argentine will take charge of a club that finished 12th in the Premier League despite an eye-watering outlay of more than £550 million (AU$1.04 billion) on new players under Todd Boehly’s consortium.
“Mauricio is a world-class coach with an outstanding track record. We are all looking forward to having him on board,” Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said in a statement.
Pochettino made his name in management by making the most of meagre resources at Espanyol, Southampton and particularly during a five-year stint at Tottenham.
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Eighteen months at Paris Saint-Germain delivered the first silverware of the 51-year-old’s career – the Ligue 1 title and French Cup – but he never appeared comfortable managing the egos of a star-studded squad before leaving in July 2022.
Pochettino’s man-management skills will face a severe examination at Stamford Bridge as he tries to succeed where three managers have already failed under the new regime.
Thomas Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, was unceremoniously sacked by co-owners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, of private equity firm Clearlake Capital, just seven games into this season.
At the time Chelsea sat sixth in the Premier League and few could have foreseen the calamity that would follow the German’s departure.
Graham Potter lasted less than seven months at Stamford Bridge, even though Chelsea paid more than $38 million to snatch the Englishman from Brighton.
Even worse was to follow as club great Frank Lampard returned as interim boss only to oversee six successive defeats in his first six matches.
All three bosses have faced the challenge of hands-on owners and a bloated squad.
Experienced defender Thiago Silva confirmed last month that the club had to extend the dressing room to accommodate a group of more than 30 players.
A major clear out is needed at the end of the season to give Pochettino a more manageable squad to work with and instil a team spirit that has been sorely lacking.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFPSource: AFP
Chelsea’s huge spending over the past 12 months may mean he has limited room for manoeuvre in the transfer market.
The Argentine faced a similar challenge at Tottenham, when the club punched above its weight to finish in the top four of the Premier League four times under his leadership.
The Blues’ spending is under scrutiny due to financial fair play controls but much of their outlay was with one eye on the future.
Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, Carney Chukwuemeka, Noni Madueke, David Datro Fofana, Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos are all 22 or younger.
Chelsea have been ridiculed for putting some of those players on eight-year contracts, but the club’s ownership are betting on Pochettino’s record with young talent to prove them right.
He produced impressive results at Tottenham, helping turn young homegrown talents such as Harry Kane and Dele Alli into household names on a budget.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him. He’s a fantastic manager, a fantastic man,” said England captain Kane, during their time together at Spurs.
“You just want to perform for him, work hard for him, win for him. He’s very passionate. You can tell sometimes he wants to be out there himself, putting in tackles, running about.
“You respond to that. On nights like that, big occasions, you just want to do him justice.”
Before appointing Pochettino, Spurs had only finished in the top four of English top-flight twice in 24 years.
He also inspired a run to the club’s first-ever Champions League final in 2019 and Tottenham’s struggles since his departure have led to a clamour from fans for his return.
Pochettino’s reputation appears to be untarnished by his indifferent spell at PSG, given the French giants’ struggles on and off the field this season.
Should he turn Chelsea’s motley crew back into Premier League contenders, his status as one of the world’s leading managers will be restored.
