10+ signings, 15+ outgoings and a deadline day drama, it would be an understatement to say Chelsea had another busy summer transfer window.
Despite another window of high spend, approximately £328m, it was the sales which were the most impressive.
Club sources estimate a figure of £519m in funds generated once all add ons and loan fees are factored in. This is a football record and resulted in a net spend of minus £120m.
More importantly, Chelsea managed to keep hold of their key stars such as Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro and Estevao Willian.
The likes of Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella will be missed from both a quality and leadership standpoint, but neither were committed to the club any longer.
As reported back in May, Chelsea had no appetite to keep players that were not fully on board with the Spaniard’s project.
What Chelsea have accomplished this summer is what most angry fans had asked for.
You wanted more older players, and felt that there was an age barrier? Welbeck and Henderson coming through the door showed a tweak in strategy.
You felt that the standards of Chelsea had fallen, that the team wasn’t concentrated and focused enough, and that Cobham training sessions were not serious enough? Again, Welbeck and Henderson were added to help with that.
You wanted more Premier League proven signings like Joao Pedro? Cool. Lacroix and Rogers came in.
You wanted Robert Sanchez to leave, you felt that the goalkeeper situation was perhaps holding Chelsea back? Fine. How about a World Cup winner and the vastly experienced Emiliano Martinez to take his place for just £7.5m?
Most of all, you wanted a manager, not a head coach, that you could identify with, that feels ‘Chelsea’, that is not only a top tactician, but also a top personality and someone that the players will be behind for present and future? Well, Xabi Alonso is all of that and more.
This is not to say the club had a 10/10 window, of course not, and no one inside Chelsea is pretending they did either, but this summer should go a long way to convincing both the current squad and the fanbase, who desperately wanted to see signs of legitimate change.
A big focus was made on improving the mentality of the group and the culture at Cobham. Chelsea’s ownership and leadership group recognised the imbalance in these areas. Alonso’s appointment also made with this in mind.
Though the window is regarded as a huge positive internally, there is recognition that more needs work to be done in future windows. Sources believe the best is yet to come in regard to both results and transfers.
Midfield is an area expected to be re-visited, potentially as soon as January, where the club are understood to have funds available to invest.
Much of the activity in January will be about Xabi Alonso’s decision. Alonso has legitimate power, and nothing happens without his say so.
He is expected to evaluate the squad over the coming months. There is optimism internally that Reece James is capable of playing a leading role in midfield. James is seen as one of the most versatile and quality all round footballers in Europe.
There is also an expectation of adaptability in system. Chelsea have recruited players who are capable of playing in multiple different formations.
The most important thing though that will be unanimously agreed upon is results. As long as Alonso and Chelsea are winning, or at the very minimum competing every match with passion and intensity, fans should have no problems quickly getting back on board with Clearlake Capital’s Chelsea project.
