Chelsea have spent an enormous amount of cash since American businessman Todd Boehly arrived at the English club. On the final day of the January transfer window, the London side broke the British transfer record to bring Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup star Enzo Fernandez to Stamford Bridge.
Roman Abramovich had an open checkbook during his time in the English capital, and Boehly has followed suit. The Bethesda-born tycoon has laid out over $600 million on new signings, with Fernandez topping the list. Will Chelsea’s new stars hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge?
Will Chelsea Become a European Powerhouse Once Again?
Chelsea will miss out on the Premier League title this season and possibly even a place in the top four, but they could be a force to be reckoned with next season and beyond. With the spending set to continue in the summer, Graham Potter’s side will be looking to challenge for the Premier League title and all other major trophies next year.
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Chelsea will be glad to see the back of a miserable Premier League season. The popular Thomas Tuchel was harshly dismissed after a Champions League loss in September. Potter worked wonders during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion and was given the vacant job at Stamford Bridge shortly after Tuchel’s dismissal.
Potter made an excellent start, but it went downhill after Chelsea lost 4-1 to his former club Brighton in October. Defeats to Arsenal and Newcastle United quickly followed. Before the 2022 World Cup break, Chelsea had taken just two points from a possible 15. They have also had some tough results post-World Cup.
Can the New Additions Make an Instant Impact?
Chelsea’s transfer dealings over the last couple of years have been incredible. Even before Boehly arrived, the Blues were one of the biggest spenders in the Premier League, and Tuchel was given a huge amount of money to spend during his time at the Bridge.
However, Boehly has taken Chelsea’s spending to the next level. The new owner has stumped up more money than every club in Europe’s top five leagues combined since taking over. Chelsea have paid out over $600 million as they look to bring the glory days back to Stamford Bridge.
While the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Newcastle have kicked on, Chelsea have gone backwards on the pitch, and they believe that signing the world’s best players is the right way to go about challenging for the big trophies again.
A Look at Chelsea’s January Acquisitions
It was a record-breaking January transfer window in the Premier League, with Chelsea doing most of the spending. Before the Fernandez capture, the Blues made the eye-catching swoop for Mykhailo Mudryk. Chelsea paid Shakhtar Donetsk $108.17 million for the Ukrainian international, who signed a seven-and-a-half-year contract at the Bridge.
Mudryk is expected to be a big hit with Chelsea fans. He showed glimpses of his world-class ability on his debut against Liverpool, almost finding the net at Anfield on a couple of occasions after coming off the bench ten minutes after the break.
Mykhailo Mudryk hit a top speed of 36.63 km/h against Liverpool.
The fastest speed recorded in the Premier League this season ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/b9LgwYKToB
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 24, 2023
Chelsea also signed Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke on seven-and-a-half-year contracts. Badiashile arrived from Monaco in a $40 million deal, while Madueke signed from PSV Eindhoven for slightly more.
Andrey Santos and David Datro Fofana also arrived, while Chelsea brought in Joao Felix on a loan deal from Atletico Madrid until the end of this season. Felix impressed on his debut against west London rivals Fulham. However, the Portugal international was sent off for a bad challenge on Kenny Tete, and Chelsea went on to lose 2-1.
What Will Fernandez Bring to Chelsea?
The biggest move of the winter window was without a doubt the Fernandez switch. Chelsea huffed and puffed to get their man, and the Argentina ace signed on the dotted line at Stamford Bridge on the 11th hour of deadline day.
Coming for you! 🫵 pic.twitter.com/dfoxFs5Yo1
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) February 2, 2023
Benfica were reluctant to part ways with their star man, hence the astronomical transfer fee. The Blues smashed the transfer record in England by paying the Portuguese club a staggering $132 million for his services.
In June 2022, Benfica paid River Plate the small sum of $10 million for Fernandez. The Argentine club will receive around $40 million from the deal between Chelsea and Benfica after activating a 25% sell-on clause. It is the biggest fee they have ever received.
Fernandez caught the eye in the 2022 World Cup with several sensational performances in the heart of Argentina’s midfield. He played a vital role in the World Cup-winning team, scoring one goal and winning the Young Player Award.
He is a tenacious midfielder with superb passing ability. Jorginho was the man who kept things ticking in the Chelsea midfield, but he left for Arsenal before the Fernandez deal was completed. If Chelsea get the same Fernandez who performed so well in the latter stages of the World Cup, the $132 million fee will be worth every penny.
Can the Blues Sneak into Top Four this Season?
Chelsea have a real fight on their hands to finish in the top four of the Premier League this season. They reached the two domestic cup finals last term, losing on penalties to Liverpool in both games. However, they are out of this season’s FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Winning this season’s Champions League could be their best route into next season’s edition of Europe’s elite club competition. They face German giants Borussia Dortmund over two legs in the Round of 16. One way or another, this star-studded Chelsea team must find a way of getting into the Champions League, as missing out could have disastrous consequences.
Tristin is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his in-depth and engaging writing on sports. He currently works as a writer at 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the sports industry.
