Chelsea sign eight stars but lose one as January transfer window closes
Chelsea fans enjoyed a manic January transfer window as the revolution of the squad under new owner Todd Boehly continued with eight arrivals to the tune of over £300million in transfer fees.
Fittingly, their heavy-spending window ended with them smashing the Premier League transfer record to sign midfielder Enzo Fernandez from Benfica in a deal thought to be in excess of his £106million release clause.
Earlier in the month, the Blues secured the arrival of Mykhaylo Mudryk, who arrived in a deal worth up to £87m, as they snatched the Ukrainian star from under the noses of Arsenal. Additionally, a further £100m+ was splashed to sign players including Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke.
Notably, Chelsea saw just one major outgoing from their squad as midfielder Jorginho joined Arsenal in a deal worth in the region of £12million. The Italy international had just five months remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge.
There were no other outgoings from the club as Hakim Ziyech saw a loan transfer to Paris Saint-Germain break down despite the Moroccan international being expected to complete a switch after spending deadline day at the French club's offices. Chelsea are said to have sent the wrong paperwork for a deal to be completed, seeing a move break down.
Chelsea complete record-breaking Enzo Fernandez transfer after deadline day rush
Conor Gallagher was another player linked with a late Chelsea exit but no deal could be struck with any of his suitors, which included Newcastle and Everton. That ensures Potter has a notably bloated squad for the remaining few months of the campaign.
Hakim Ziyech spent the day in Paris but his move away from Chelsea broke down (Getty Images)Have Your Say! What do you think of Chelsea’s January transfer window? Tell us what you think here.
Chelsea were the biggest spenders by a distance, not only in the Premier League but across world football. Many of the deals were made possible by many of the arrivals signing contracts in excess of seven years so that their costs could be amortised across the length of their deals and financial years.
That mechanism has allowed new owner Boehly to revamp Graham Potter's squad but also carries the risk that the club could be laboured with the players in the long-term should they fall out of favour over that period of time.
Fernandez and Mudryk were the most notable arrivals but Badiashile arrived from Monaco in a move that Chelsea believe will be a long-term solution to their central defensive issues. The Frenchman is likely to replace Kalidou Koulibaly, who was only signed this summer, alongside Thiago Silva in Potter's defence.
Benoit Badiashile joined Chelsea from Monaco this month (Getty Images)Joao Felix has arrived on a loan deal from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season, while Madueke's arrival from PSV and Mudryk joining from Shakhtar ensure that the club are coming down with multiple options in wide attacking areas. Striker David Datro Fofana also joined from Molde.
Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos arrived from Vasco da Gama as right-back Malo Gusto was signed from Lyon, but he will spend the second half of the season on loan at the Ligue 1 club.
The remarkable January spending followed immediately on from a summer in which Chelsea also recruited heavily with Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucerella, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Carney Chukwuemeka. In total, the club have spent upwards of £550million in transfer fees this season.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
