Stephen Walker discusses the need for Chelsea to target players of great repute.
Chelsea Football Club seem to be in a bit of a crisis after losing back-to-back matches away to the top two teams in the league- and by a goal each might I add. However, the significance of the results was the poor body language of the players after the City match- most of which were purchased for the usual £30m-£40m that Chelsea’s board likes to spend when signing players. Even Chelsea’s consensus best player over the past few years, Eden Hazard, was bought at £32m, while club-record signing Alvaro Morata did not come on the pitch until the 89th minute.
The recent losses to Man City and Man United were against starting sides whose sum of initial transfer fees were approximately £328m and £386m respectively. Chelsea have previously had the financial resources to compete with these sides, but they have been intent signing squad players or younger talent with potential.
The problem with this is that while Eden Hazard, bought at age 21 in 2012, is nearing Chelsea legend status, there has been too much money invested in players that have failed to justify their price tags.
On the opposing side of things, the manager has voiced his opinion on preferring high-calibre, seasoned veterans. Indeed, the board’s view does seem logical – and they’re ultimately in control of who the club signs – but perhaps Antonio Conte could be on to something that could improve the squad as well as increase Chelsea’s support.
Antonio Conte has seemed adamant on Alex Sandro, which could have likely been a world record fee for a defender once the smoke settled, but the board eventually passed. Virgin Van Dijk was another person mentioned as part of Conte’s targets, but VVD finally made his move to Liverpool in January. Marco Verratti, another world-class target, was heavily linked with Chelsea during the summer but that failed to materialise. Instead, Chelsea sold Nathaniel Chalobah, loaned Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and purchased Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko.
Chelsea fans can only fantasise about fielding a team of top-tier players, but there is a compromise that could be enjoyed by all parties- entwine top talent with academy prospects.
It is no surprise that Chelsea boasts one of the most talented youth academies in Europe, but since John Terry’s emergence into the first team in the early 2000’s, we are only just now seeing Andreas Christensen repeat this feat. There have been appearances, however, from Ethan Ampadu, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Dujon Sterling, and Kyle Scott, while Trevoh Chalobah has recently made the bench for the Blues.
With many senior players returning from injuries and suspensions, even the bench is seeing less of the academy products, but the overall talent level of the squad is not improved. Much of the starting lineup and bench players are roughly the same type of players, and few would be described as world class.
If Chelsea are to continue running a two-man midfield, I think a box-to-box midfielder is widely essential. With Kante possessing enough stamina for the midfield himself, but occasionally lacking the final ball, David Alaba could be a focal point for Chelsea to inquire into. At 25, he matches the clubs desire to buy young, he can play multiple defensive/midfield positions, and he has a dangerous left foot.
Speaking of dangerous left feet, Riyad Mahrez has been desperate to leave Leicester, but the Algerian is more than just a left foot. He has the ability to create out of nothing and would alleviate the pressure that Hazard shoulders to supply goals and utilising Alvaro Morata.
Should Chelsea’s summer funds go towards these signings, or similar signings, while perhaps culling a few surplus players, I believe it could help Chelsea mount another title charge while providing a better pathway for Chelsea academy players to get into the senior squad.
Written by Stephen Walker – @Tosserofcoin
