Chelsea FC had a very interesting transfer window to say the least. They didn’t get everybody that they wanted, but they did upgrade every position group of outfield players and make a couple splash signings. The biggest addition they made this summer was Manager Antonio Conte.
His arrival has revitalized Stamford Bridge, and made the Blues, on paper at least, a sure-fire top four side. That’s quite the accomplishment when you consider how they fell to mid table last season.
Chelsea FC Transfer Window Summation
IN
Antonio Conte
Michy Batshuyai
N’Golo Kante
David Luiz
Marcos Alonso
Eduardo
OUT
Mohamed Salah
Juan Cuadrado (loan)
Matt Miazga (loan)
Loic Remy (loan)
Matt Miazga (loan)
Kenedy (loan)
Bertrand Traore (loan)
Baba Rahman (loan)
It all starts with Conte, who gave a very candid assessment of what went right and what went wrong this summer transfer window.
“We didn’t refuse to spend the money for the right targets,” Conte said. “The situation is that the target is not available to buy and to spend the money on.
“Then I also told [them] that I’d prefer to spend a lot of money on the right great player, not on a medium player.” You can read the rest of his comments here.
Conte said that he and his club would not be held ransom and conform to all the insane transfer fees this summer. The market is crazy, as Conte said, and credit the Blues for not letting their spending get too out of control.
Chelsea made two big buys, spending more than £60 million, on N’Golo Kante and Michy Batshuayi, but got rejected by AC Milan in their £35 million offer for centre-back Alessio Romagnoli. In my opinion, Kante was the best acquisition of the summer. His presence, along with a rejuvenated Eden Hazard, will be the main keys to Chelsea making a resurgence.
Chelsea FC also whiffed on their top center back target, Kalidou Koulibaly, due to Napoli’s refusal to sell the Senegalese. However, in the David Luiz buyback and the purchase of Marcos Alonso, they shored up the back line, their position of dire need. Whether the Luiz signing is a good one or not is debatable. Some have even called it a panic buy.
What not’s debatable is that Luiz was the top story on transfer deadline day. And that Chelsea in general was the most interesting and exciting team on deadline day itself. They were quite active today. Believe it or not, Luiz now has the fifth most expensive combined transfer fees (£109m), from every move, of any player in history.
Chelsea FC Transfer Window Grade/Rating
B+
7.5/10
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.