Since Todd Boehly's long-awaited £4.25m takeover of Chelsea back in May 2022, the club have undergone a seismic transformation. The LA Dodgers owner has aimlessly splashed over £900m on players, over three transfer windows, while the club has descended into chaos on the field. Last season, Chelsea finished a dismal 12th in the Premier League, their lowest finish since the league was re-formatted in 1992. This summer, they have turned to former Spurs hero Mauricio Pochettino in the dug-out and have undergone a mass exodus of players while they attempt to balance the books for FFP. Here we take a look at the ten new signings brought to West London this summer, discussing whether they will become yet another Pierre Aubameyang flop or have the potential to become a cult hero for the ages.
10. Diego Moreira - SL Benfica Free Transfer
The 19 year old appears to have been recruited straight from Football Manager, typifying Todd Boehly's incessant desire to poach every promising U-21 player with a pulse. The striker made two assists in the UEFA Youth League final victory for Benfica B and reached the Quarter Finals of the U21 European Championships with Portugal. The positive of this deal, is that he was captured on a free transfer because the most inevitable outcome is that he disappears on a loan spiral before being released to find sanctuary back in Portugal.
Deal Rating - 5/10 Success Likelihood - 2/10
9. Angelo Gabriel - Santos £13m
It was inevitable that visionary owner Todd Boehly, would make it a priority to capture his very own silky Brazilian with the hope of unlocking a future Pele, Neymar or Vinicius. Angelo Gabriel fits the mould, making his debut for Santos aged 15 years and 108 days which surpassed Pele as the youngest Santos debutant. However, in 129 games for the Brazilian club he has only scored just five goals and he suffered a long goal drought last season that saw him restricted to the bench. He has already been shipped out on loan to Strasbourg which appears the right decision by Chelsea to help him develop and re-gain his confidence.
Deal Rating - 7/10 Success Likelihood - 4/10
8. Deivid Washington - Santos £15m
The mantra at Chelsea seems to be buy in bulk, which is exactly what they have done with Brazilian forwards from Santos. The 18 year old only made his first team debut in April, scoring on his first two starts, following in the footsteps of two icons Neymar and Pele. He rose to attention at the renowned Campeonato Paulista sub-17, a breathing ground for next generational talent, scoring 16 goals in the tournament. The only worry is that Chelsea are inundated with an abundance of starlets and he could very easily be drowned out ending up in the abise of European football.
Deal Rating - 6/10 Success Likelihood - 3/10
7. Lesley Ugochukwu - Rennes £28m
The defensive midfielder appears to be a real prospect; featuring 26 times for Rennes in Ligue 1 last season. He has European pedigree playing 501 minutes in the Europa League last season and has the potential to be a real coup. His predecessor Eduardo Camavinga, has since left to win the Champions League with Real Madrid learning from masters like Luka Modric. The fear for the 19 year old is that Chelsea are lacklustre of any experienced mentors in midfield, having sold N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic and he may struggle to excel in the Premier League.
Deal Rating - 8/10 Success Likelihood - 6/10
6. Robert Sanchez - Brighton £20m
This underwhelming deal epitomised Chelsea's irrational splurges in this transfer window. It is clear the Spaniard is a short-term deputy No.1, due to the unexpected departure of Kepa to Real Madrid. Last season, Roberto De Zerbi dropped the 27 year old due to him being a liability in possession and being reckless in decision making at times. While it is a shrewd price tag and he does have the quality to resurrect himself at Stamford Bridge, it just feels like Chelsea have taken a step backwards in upgrading their keeper rather than improving upon Edouard Mendy and Kepa.
Deal Rating - 5/10 Success Likelihood - 7/10
5. Romeo Lavia - Southampton £58m
Why? It seems that Todd Boehly is prepared to flex his riches, just to assert his wealth over rival owners in the Premier League this summer. Chelsea were locked in a tactical bidding war for Lavia with Liverpool, ultimately robbing him from under their noses at the last minute. The 19 year old is clearly a talented midfielder and shone for Southampton last season playing 26 times and scoring against Chelsea. However, where does he fit into this team, it is clear Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo will be the engine in the middle next season with Connor Gallagher as competition. It feels like Lavia won't be given the game time and precedence to reach that next level and continue to develop. Maybe Pochettino knows something we don't.
Deal Rating - 8/10 Success Likelihood - 7/10
4. Axel Disasi - Monaco £38m
Kalidou Koulibaly and Cesar Azpilicueta departed Chelsea this summer, as well as Wesley Fofana suffering a debilitating ACL injury. However, it still feels as if the big-spenders could have kept hold of their money and instead developed homegrown duo Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah. Disasi is a warrior, with a muscular frame and physical presence but is he an upgrade over what Chelsea already have. They spent £32m on Benoit Badiashile in January, who showed real promise but will the arrival of another centre-back affect players development and consistency.
Deal Rating - 6/10 Success Likelihood - 7/10
3. Nicolas Jackson - Villarreal £37m
The 22 year old has been a breath of fresh air, since arriving at Chelsea in June, with intensity to his play as well as pace and energy. In the absence of a traditional number nine, he is the perfect alternative because his movement and eagerness to play on the line allow Chelsea to hit teams on the counter-attack and play with speed. He raised eyebrows in Pre-Season with his sharpness, but does need to refine his finishing which can let him down in the final third. After 12 goals in La Liga last season, he can certainly hit double figures in the Premier League.
Deal Rating - 8/10 Success Likelihood - 8/10
2. Moises Caicedo - Brighton £115m
There is no doubt, the Ecuadorian is a top Premier League midfielder and it is a rarity to find a defensive midfielder as effective in the current market. The 21 year old was integral to Brighton qualifying for Europe last season because he was the fulcrum of De Zerbi's formation; intercepting play, breaking lines and distributing play efficiently. In January, Arsenal saw a £70m bid rejected and seven months later his transfer value has soared as a result of increased bidders. Liverpool were frontrunners to seal this record-breaking fee, but Caicedo chose Chelsea. It seems a perfect marriage that will compete Chelsea's depleted midfield, let's hope he matches his pricetag.
Deal Rating - 9/10 Success Likelihood - 9/10
1. Christopher Nkunku - Leipzig £57m
Amid all the ludicrous transfer fees and bizarre personnel, under Todd Boehly this is the only one that makes perfect sense. Chelsea went under the radar, when they activated the release clause for Nkunku, avoiding a bidding war. The 25 year old received the golden boot in the Bundesliga last season, scoring a goal every 119 minutes and made 33 goal contributions the season before. The bad omen is that Chelsea have splashed £50m on a hot shot Leipzig striker before, and he scored a dismal 23 goals in 83 appearances. But, Nkunku has an intelligence and sharpness that makes him so potent infront of goal and knows what pressure is like previously playing at PSG
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