Chelsea was the biggest spender this summer.
On July 7 (KST)메이저놀이터, soccer media outlet Score 90 released a ranking of the 10 teams that spent the most on signings this summer on social media. Chelsea (KRW 660 billion), Al Hilal (KRW 504 billion), Paris Saint-Germain (KRW 500 billion), Tottenham (KRW 370 billion), Manchester City (KRW 344 billion), Arsenal (KRW 337 billion), Manchester United (KRW 297 billion), Al Ahli (KRW 277.1 billion), Liverpool (KRW 245.7 billion), and Al Nasr (KRW 237.5 billion). Chelsea was the clear favorite.
Last season was a tough one for Chelsea. The Blues abruptly fired head coach Thomas Tuchel early in the season after winning the UEFA Champions League (UCL). Tuchel’s replacement was Graham Potter, who led Brighton’s breakout season. However, Chelsea’s choice proved to be a failure. Potter’s Chelsea struggled throughout the season. From sixth place at the start of Potter’s tenure, Chelsea fell to 11th place after 29 rounds. Eventually, Potter left the club.
Chelsea called in Frank Lampard as a firefighter. But Lampard couldn’t put out the fire. In nine games, Lampard won one, drew two, and lost six, and Chelsea finished the season in 12th place. It was a very disappointing run of results and behavior. The change in ownership from Roman Abramovich to Todd Boeli brought promise, but the season ended in failure.
The arrival of Pochettino signaled a new beginning. Chelsea have been very active in the transfer market in order to shake off the disappointment of last season. First, Pochettino got rid of players he didn’t need in order to bring in his own colors. Chelsea sold the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly and Mateo Kovacic. They also brought back loan players like Joao Felix.
On the recruiting front, the Blues didn’t spare any money. Christopher Nkunkwo, Nicola Jackson, Cole Palmer, and others were brought in for immediate impact. The most highly anticipated signing was Moises Caicedo. Chelsea had been pursuing him since the beginning of the transfer window. However, negotiations stalled when Brighton demanded £100 million for the player.
Liverpool then swooped in with a £110 million ($183.3 million) bid. However, the player only wanted to join Chelsea, and the Blues eventually snapped him up for £115 million ($191.6 million). It was the highest transfer fee in the Premier League (PL). The previous record was £107 million for Enzo Fernandes. Chelsea also added Romero Rabia for £60 million, giving them a midfield of around £470 million.
Chelsea’s signings have been highly anticipated, but their start to the season hasn’t been great. They have one win, one draw, and two losses and are in 12th place. This is very disappointing considering the amount of money they spent. Nkunku, Leith James, and Kani Chukwuemeka are all out with injuries. Chelsea has been struggling with injuries to key players.