"Wonderful Mess: Chelsea\u2019s Free-Spending Spells Doom"

" Wonderful Mess: Chelsea\u2019s Free-Spending Spells Doom \r\n\r\n Chelsea have adopted a scattergun approach in the signing of players since new owners Todd Boehly and private equity Clearlake Capital took over in 2022. \r\n\r\n The 2024-25 season has followed a similar trajectory, with Joao Felix ( previously signed for a whopping \u00a39.7m in January 2023 for a half-season loan) becoming the latest addition to an increasingly bloating squad.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n A worrying sight for many fans, ex-players, coaching staff, and players alike. Amidst all the turmoil on signings, the brunt of it has been limited game time for players, with Raheem Sterling \u2014 signed two seasons ago for \u20ac56.2m from Manchester City \u2014 demanding clarity on his future an hour before facing his former employers over the weekend in Chelsea\u2019s season opener.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Head coach Enzo Maresca, who steered Leicester City back to the English top flight after clinching the championship last term, has been under immense pressure since his appointment in June. \r\n\r\n Even before a ball was kicked to usher the London club into his era, Maresca had to deal with an off-field event which transpired in Argentina\u2019s team bus after Enzo Fernandez was seen on a live stream gleefully belting out racist and transphobic chants at France\u2019s players after winning the summer\u2019s Copa America. \r\n\r\n Enzo\u2019s team-mate, Fofana (who has won two senior caps with France ), took to his social media and said: \u201cFootball in 2024, uninhibited racism\u201d. \r\n\r\n This was the first step taking in what looked like a mini-French revolution at Chelsea as French stars, Malo Gusto, Axel Disasi, and Christopher Nkunku, all unfollowed their team-mate on social media. \r\n\r\n Enzo then apologized to for his actions: \u201cI want to apologise sincerely. The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,\u201d he wrote. \r\n\r\n \u201cI stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry,\u201d he added. \r\n\r\n Chelsea\u2019s Datro Fofana, who returned to the club earlier this summer after his loan spell at Burnley, criticized the video after Enzo\u2019s apology. \r\n\r\n \u201cThe football that I like is multi-ethnic. Racism in all its forms should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. These acts have no place in football or even anywhere else. This fight really needs to be taken seriously by everyone in this sport,\u201d he wrote. \r\n\r\n At the end of an internal disciplinary approach conducted by the club, Enzo was not charged, nor fined by the club, while his manager upheld the view that he saw no bad intention in Enzo\u2019s chant. \r\n\r\n Chelsea were soon in the headlines once more after an insipid display saw them play out a 2-2 stalemate against Wrexham in their first pre-season game. \r\n\r\n The outcome of the game set the tone for the remainder of the pre-season fixtures as Maresca\u2019s pre-season results ( 1 win in 6 games) didn\u2019t make for good reading. \r\n\r\n Amidst the glaring on-field issues, the off-field events \u2013 including Enzo\u2019s racist chants \u2013 seemed to outweigh the team, with the persistent influx of players across Europe hindering the team\u2019s development as well. \r\n\r\n This is far from the ideal start Enzo Maresca envisaged: \u201cTo join Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, is a dream for any coach,\u201d Maresca told the media after he was confirmed as Mauricio Pochettino\u2019s successor. \r\n\r\n However, it\u2019s been a nightmare for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea\u2019s fanbase. His appointment meant he became the sixth managerial change for Chelsea in the last five years and the fourth since Todd Boehly\u2019s reign. \r\n\r\n What is making rounds on Chelsea\u2019s crisis?\u00a0 \r\n\r\n After the disappointing draw against Wrexham, Enzo Maresca remained positive, despite his team struggling to cope with his identity of playing out from the back; a constant theme throughout pre-season. Error-strewn performances that exposed their defensive frailties. \r\n\r\n \u201cYes, at this moment we are trying to build with three [defenders] and two [in defensive midfield]. First half it was with Reece James inside and in the second half it was with Malo Gusto inside. \r\n\r\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what the level of the opposition is when they sit back with 11 players behind the ball, it is always difficult to find space and solutions. It is not easy. \r\n\r\n \u201cWe tried in the first half and we tried in the second half and for sure we did many things where we can improve. But we only started two weeks ago so for me, tonight it was important to start to see the identity of the team and the identity is there,\u201d he said. \r\n\r\n Chelsea wrapped up pre-season with a 1-1 draw against Inter Milan, which was preceded by a 2-1 loss to Real Madrid and a 4-2 defeat to Manchester City. \r\n\r\n Morale amongst the club\u2019s supporters is at a very low ebb under the current ownership, and the opening day\u2019s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League added gloss to the general feel around the club.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Club supporters have been left in limbo \u2014 not knowing the direction of sail of the team, nor what to expect \u2014 but the ardent Noah Kaha, is hopeful of great things:\u201d I\u2019m excited. I have a lot of hope and, first and foremost, I have a lot of patience. There\u2019s a lot of players, a lot of new players. A new coach who has a system he wants to instil and I trust him. I think as Chelsea fans we want to see results, he told CBC Sports about his season\u2019s expectations. \r\n\r\n It would be difficult but not improbable, given their ever-growing squad, for Chelsea to come out of the season with any silverware, which will be their first since the 2021 Uefa Super Cup victory against Villarreal. \r\n\r\n The hounded-out Mauricio Pochettino put together a five-game winning streak at the back end of last season, which was good enough to see Chelsea make the Uefa Conference League but not good enough to keep him in the job. \r\n\r\n Despite competing on four fronts (Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Conference League) in the 2024\/25 season, head coach Maresca is uncertain if all of his bloated squad will play a part in the season. \r\n\r\n \u201cIf they are looking for minutes, then it is better if they leave. If they do not leave, then they have a contract here and they are a Chelsea player,\u201d he said. \r\n\r\n \u201cFor sure, it\u2019s not a comfortable situation. I don\u2019t have any doubt. When I was a player, I had the exact same happen to me, so I know exactly 100% the feeling. \r\n\r\n \u201cBut also, I think it\u2019s good to know that if you are going to stay, then you are going to struggle to get minutes. Now in this moment, it is not the best situation. But probably in two days, in one week, 10 days, it can be a better situation because you move, you join a club where you are going to play more games,\u201d he added. \r\n\r\n Chelsea\u2019s Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling, who both missed out on the opening day loss to Manchester City, have been omitted from the Conference League qualification squad set to take on Servette tomorrow, amid growing squad unrest \r\n\r\n \u201cBrutal? I don\u2019t think so. I try to be honest. I can repeat again if it\u2019s not clear: I spoke with Raheem before the City game. I said he is going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason why he is out of the squad.\u201d\u00a0 \r\n\r\n I\u2019m not working with 42 or 43 players. You like to say we have 42 or 43 players but more than 15 players are training apart, they are not with the team,\u201d said the former Leicester City manager. \r\n\r\n \u201cI don\u2019t see them, so it\u2019s not a mess like it looks from the outside. Absolutely not.\u201d \r\n\r\n The signing of Joao Felix takes Chelsea\u2019s squad to a little above 40 players, with a chunk of them expected to leave before the English transfer deadline on August 30. \r\n\r\n However, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel is dissatisfied with the Blues\u2019 business (especially in the forward areas) and believes the team \u2013 despite spending in excess of \u00a3150m on signings this summer \u2013 still need a proven finisher. \r\n\r\n \u201cYou need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that\u2019s what we don\u2019t have,\u201d he said. \r\n\r\n \u201cI know I talk so much about him [Jackson] and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don\u2019t disrespect him. \r\n\r\n \u201cI think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that\u2019s absolutely unbelievable,\u201d he added \r\n\r\n Club fans outside the team\u2019s home ground also waded in on the club\u2019s crisis. One fan was insistent Chelsea\u2019s owners be given time: \u201cI think we need to give them time. It\u2019s a four year transfer window. They are buying tactically now, and then in four years, wait until you see, he told BR football. \r\n\r\n For another fan, he has doubts ringing in his mind on the club\u2019s structure and direction: \u201c Our board are not proven at the highest level, our manager Marresca is not proven at the highest level, the players we are signing are not proven at the highest level. So, you look at this and say, are Chelsea going to win a title? the answer is no\u201d. \r\n\r\n While one fan emphasized the importance of delivering good results: \u201cIt\u2019s a mixed bag but they desperately need some good results to get the fans back onside, because a lot of their actions have not gone down well, he remarked\u201d \r\n\r\n Chelsea\u2019s current club direction divides opinions, with the club\u2019s fans restless and uncertain as to who would pop up next on the scene. \r\n\r\n But for manager Maresca, his goal is not on delivering immediate success but building for the long-term. \r\n\r\n \u201cThe vision I have is that the club is looking for something for 5 or 10 years. Nobody from the club asked me for the Champions League spot this year. What they said is that we need to arrive and compete, step by step\u201d, he said. \r\n\r\n Arrivals and Departures \r\n\r\n A lot of outgoings, equally as incomings, have come in at Chelsea. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Leicester City\u2019s Player of the Season as they gained promotion back to the Premier League, came through the doors of Stamford Bridge with Enzo Maresca for \u00a335.40m. \r\n\r\n Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen joined from Villarreal in a \u00a324.50m deal, as well as Aston Villa\u2019s U-21, Omari Kellyman (\u00a322.50), Aaron Anselmino from Boca Juniors (\u00a316.50), Basel\u2019s Renato Veiga (\u00a314.00), Atalanta United\u2019s Caleb Wiley (\u00a310.10m), Barcelona\u2019s Marc Guiu (\u00a36.00m), Wolves\u2019 Pedro Neto (\u00a354m), Atletico Madrid outcast Joao Felix (\u00a345m), and Fulham\u2019s Tosin Adarabioyo (free transfer). \r\n\r\n Chelsea have spent in the region of \u00a3228m on incomings, with the Blues expected to go in for a marquee forward before the closure of the transfer window. \r\n\r\n A number of players have also left the club; Veteran Thiago Silva joined Fluminese on a free, Dion Rankine moved to Wigan for an undisclosed fee. \r\n\r\n Malang Sarr ( free transfer) has also moved to Lille, with Hakim Ziyech moving to Galatasaray (\u00a32.5m), Lewis Hall joining Newcastle (\u00a328m), Omari Hutchison (\u00a318 + add-ons) completing a permanent switch to Ipswich Town as well. \r\n\r\n Jamie Cumming\u2019s undisclosed move to Oxford United, Chinonso Chibueze following suit to Stoke City, Charlie Webster\u2019s switch to Burton and Albion (undisclosed), and Ian Maatsen\u2019s (\u00a337.5m) move to Aston Villa.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Conor Gallagher\u2019s \u00a333m switch to Atletico Madrid means the team has been able to generate about \u00a3119m through player sales. Albanian forward Armando Borja is also expected to join newly promoted side Ipswich Town on a season-long loan with a \u00a330m obligation to buy. "

"Wonderful Mess: Chelsea\u2019s Free-Spending Spells Doom"

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