Much has been made of Chelsea’s transfer activity this summer. Fans and pundits alike have lamented the lack of decisive signings in time for the start of the season, with the starting XI of the Blues’ two opening games largely unchanged from that won the League just three months ago.
The general consensus has been this:
Chelsea haven’t made enough signings. Chelsea haven’t improved their squad. No marquee players have been added at a time when all rivals have acquired top talent.
To an extent, this is true. The arrival of Falcao is somewhat of a gamble and was a matter of adding squad depth rather than direct competition for Diego Costa. Begovic, whilst a top class ‘keeper, is still a downgrade on Cech.
Put that into context; City have taken Sterling from Liverpool and look set to add Otamendi in the near future. Man Utd have made shrewd signings in Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin, with talented Memphis Depay joining Matteo Darmian in arriving this summer. Arsenal of course have taken Petr Cech, and Liverpool have splashed out on Benteke, Firmino and Clyne. Even the likes of Stoke have improved drastically, with Xherdan Shaqiri watching his new club for the first time at Spurs over the weekend.
All of the above players were linked to Chelsea at one time or another – and all for good reason: they are top class players who fit into title-competing sides.
Chelsea now look to belatedly respond. With £17m Baba Rahman already taken from FC Augsburg, a £30m bid for John Stones tabled and the internet flooded with rumours of Roman “loosening the pursestrings” it is more than likely that the squad we see once the transfer window closes will look significantly different.
To me however, this all seems just slightly hypocritical. It’s not just the lack of signings, but a chain of ill-considered deals that have taken place over the past year.
Do not mistake me, it’s vital to improve a title-winning squad – if for nothing else but to provide more competition within the team. However, since the return of Mourinho fans have been inundated with stories of legacy building, of promotion from within and the development of a new, homegrown core. At the moment however, these seem largely like fantasy. The only academy prospect retained for the first team this year has been Ruben Loftus-Cheek, yet to make an appearance this season.
If we analyse a brief history of our transfers, the problem becomes clear. After selling Ryan Bertrand for as little as £5m, Chelsea spent £13m on Filipe Luis. A year later, Luis moved back to Atleti at a loss of £2.5m. Baba Rahman, his replacement, could cost up to £25m depending on appearances. Bertrand has since gone on to be included in the PFA team of the year.
Does Baba Rahman have £27.5m more to offer than the English, homegrown player who had been at Chelsea since a child? I’d argue not.
The John Stones saga looks to carry the same flag. Reports suggest it will take as much as £40m to take the young defender from Everton. Interesting, given we sent three very similar players on loan just a month ago.
Kenneth Omerou, an established Nigerian international, has been sent to the Turkish top flight after a reasonable season at Middlesborough. Tomas Kalas rejoined aforementioned Championship club after a successful loan, whilst Andreas Christensen will spend the year in the German top division with Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Take Kalas, a Czech international who impressed all who watched as Chelsea won 2-0 at Anfield two seasons ago. Or Christensen, who in his brief cameos showed enough to suggest he was ready to make an impact in the Premier League.
Does John Stones have £40m more to offer than these two academy products who have already worn the Chelsea blue in the Premier League? Again, I’d argue not.
Even a brief glance at some of the squad players. Could the likes of Traore or Brown have offered what Cuadrado and Salah did last year?
For all his wonderful abilities, fears of Mourinho’s unwillingness to dip into the wealth of young talent Chelsea have spent millions acquiring are becoming all too real and threaten to cause another divide between the Portuguese and the Board. It is vital to improve a squad, yes. But to establish a legacy? That comes from within. It comes from taking risks on unproven potential and harbouring talent. Ask Ferguson at Utd or Klopp at Dortmund. Even lower down at clubs like Southampton, MK Dons or Crewe Alexandra. These are clubs with special bonds with the fans because the of the legacy that promotion-from-within provided them.
Let’s be clear: I’m not expecting or hoping Mourinho drops our top players in order to bleed through academy prospects. Rather, there has to be more willingness to throw them into games, in the belief that they will deliver.
A balance must be found sooner rather than later before it becomes another case of what might have been for Chelsea’s Academy. The remainder of the transfer window will certaintly set a marker for years to come at the home of the Champions.
