Chelsea is continuing to pile up signings for the season. They have brought in their tenth signing, which has left the fans with Chelsea tickets and the rest of the footballing world in proper confusion.
While most of the other clubs have resorted to three of four key signings, Chelsea is now on the verge of making it double figures.
Signing Spree
Chelsea has already signed a whopping nine players this summer but is reportedly on the verge of welcoming a 10th to Stamford Bridge for a slightly bigger fee than expected.
Chelsea has been spending heavily on new players for the third summer in a row. This year, some of their marquee arrivals have included Pedro Neto, Filip Jorgensen, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. However, the fans with Chelsea tickets have been widespread in their criticism.
On the one hand, most people believe Chelsea has assembled a squad far too big to be manageable for Enzo Maresca. On the other hand, some observers still feel they have gaps to fill in their roster.
One area they are looking at upgrading further is their attack. They have been working on moves for Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen and Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix.
The latest update regards Felix, who already spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea and is now close to returning permanently a year later.
According to Spanish reporter Ruben Uria, the deal for Felix to join Chelsea for his second spell is now in the ‘final stretch’—but the value of the operation will be higher than initially reported.
A few days ago, Chelsea was believed to be close to a breakthrough for Felix by offering €46m plus €5m in bonuses. But now, Uria claims even the up-front payment will be €50m (£42.6m) – and the €5m of bonuses will be on top of that.
It would put Felix in the top 20 most expensive Chelsea signings of all time – and that’s before factoring in the €11m they spent for his loan spell before.
Inside sources state that Felix’s cost will be just over £40m, and the deal is set to be completed.
Of course, the amount Chelsea is spending on Felix this time has a caveat since it is now an element of a part-exchange deal involving Conor Gallagher’s move in the opposite direction.
According to Uria, the value of Gallagher’s move to Atleti will be a fixed €42m. In other words, Chelsea is banking more than £35m of pure profit on academy graduate Gallagher and spending just a fraction more – at first – to land Felix (whom Atleti will be able to make a capital gain on).
However, with Portugal international not being an out-and-out number 9 either, questions will linger about whether Chelsea has the right profile of players in their forward line.
A move for Osimhen afterwards, which would be their most expensive of the summer, may still be necessary. The fans with Chelsea tickets have been rallying around Osimhein the club since he had a fallout with Napoli, as the club desperately needs a striker. The makeshift options need to be fixed.
Felix largely played on the left wing for Barcelona last season during his previous loan spell away from Atleti. In his first Chelsea spell, under Graham Potter’s management and then Frank Lampard, his game time was split between that wide-left role and a more central one.
It will be fascinating to see how Maresca fits Felix in, depending on the formation he uses. Although the signing won’t be done in time for their season opener against reigning champions Manchester City on Sunday, there could be some clues as to the new head coach’s system.
Their best player last season was ex-City prospect Cole Palmer, who can operate on the right wing or as a no.10. There is also Neto—a £60m investment—who can play on either wing and Felix, who can fit into a variety of attacking roles, before any potential icing-on-the-cake signing of a striker.
In the department directly behind, how their midfield evolved in the post-Gallagher era remains to be seen. The 24-year-old had entered the final year of his Chelsea contract, and the club hierarchy viewed his situation as an opportunity to balance the books, even though he sometimes captained the side under Mauricio Pochettino last season.
Felix Situation
Joao Felix has made it clear to Chelsea that he wants to make a surprise return to Stamford Bridge.
Todd Boehly’s transfer plans dramatically changed after a deal to sign striker Samu Omorodion from Atletico Madrid collapsed last night.
The 20-year-old was set to complete a switch to west London from the Spanish capital after the clubs had already agreed on a £34.5million fee.
However, negotiations broke down due to reported issues with Omorodion’s contract, and the transfer fell through.
And now the Portugal international has also indicated his desire to return to the Premier League in a permanent move to the club where he spent half a season on loan in 2023. The player will take a significant pay cut to fit Chelsea’s wage structure.
According to Fabrizio Romano, his agent, Jorge Mendes, is still negotiating his potential return to London, and talks remain ongoing.
Palmer Gets Deserved New Contract
Cole Palmer has signed a new Chelsea deal until 2033. His new contract includes a salary increase after his historic debut season in west London.
Palmer swapped Manchester City for Stamford Bridge last summer in a huge transfer worth £42.5m, which initially raised eyebrows and was considered a big risk.
That was because of Palmer’s lack of experience. Still, the England international is regarded as one of the best signings of the 2023-24 campaign, according to everyone with Chelsea tickets.
The 22-year-old’s debut Premier League season for the Blues was historic as he remarkably broke Eden Hazard’s Chelsea record for the most goals and assists.
Palmer was previously earning £ 80,000 a week, and while his new salary is unconfirmed, it has been significantly increased to be in line with other top players in the squad.
The versatile attacker, who mainly operates as an attacking midfielder or winger, has been on an incredible upward trajectory since leaving the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola never wanted Palmer to leave – and desperately tried to convince him to stay at City – but the player was adamant he wanted to join Chelsea.
