by Mauricio Pochettino’s hope of strengthening his squad in January is likely to depend on Chelsea making room for signings by making another clearance.
Pochettino, who has just five wins from his 16 Premier League games, said Chelsea may have to go back into the transfer market after losing 2-0 to Everton on Sunday. The club have spent around £1bn since being bought by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in the summer of 2022, but are in 12th place after a poor start.
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Chelsea brought in 14 players last summer, offset by 15 first-team players who left permanently or on loan. But they have continued to struggle for goals and will be looking to sign a top-class striker, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen high on their wish list. Chelsea were also scouting for Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyökeres.
Much could be left for Chelsea to avoid repeating their mistake last January, when they left Graham Potter with a flourishing squad after signing six players and selling one.
Financial balance will also be looked at as they risk missing out on European qualification for the second season in a row. Funds could be raised through sales.
Pochettino was complaining about a lack of teeth and a lack of aggression at Everton. He said this was “something to analyse” with the hierarchy and joint sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley. Stewart and Winstanley have overseen an ambitious project, focusing on signing young, often unproven talent to long deals.
The club’s co-owner, Behdad Eghbali, has also been influential, although Pochettino has hinted that he will have more say over transfers.
It is understood that Pochettino’s comments have not caused unrest within the club. There are no signs that the former Tottenham manager is under immediate threat of losing his job. Many sources have expressed their satisfaction with Pochettino’s early impact and believe he respects the dressing room.
The Argentine has had to contend with a long list of injuries. New signings Christopher Nkunku and Roméo Lavia did not play a minute of competitive football, while Robert Sánchez, Marc Cucurella and Reece James went against Everton. James, the captain, will undergo a scan after another side injury.
While there is a widespread feeling within Stamford Bridge that the results have been worse than most performances, recent displays have left Pochettino reeling. He said his side lacks focus and feels they need to show more fight. Goals were also a problem for Chelsea, who relied mainly on the inexperienced Nicolas Jackson to lead the line.
Chelsea have long been interested in Toney, who will return next month from his ban for breaching Football Association betting rules. Brentford, however, could demand at least £100m for Toney, who is also an Arsenal target, and there is no guarantee that he will succeed after a long spell.
The England international may also demand a big wage, which would force Chelsea to deviate from their strategy of offering incentive deals to top prospects. Napoli valued Osimhen at more than £100m last summer. Chelsea may decide to hold back on a striker if Nkunku makes an immediate impact on his return from a long-term knee injury. The French forward has been impressive during pre-season.
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The arrival of a striker could have implications for Armando Broja’s future. The 22-year-old, who is looking for regular football, recently returned from a serious knee injury and started in place of Jackson against Everton. Broja’s long-term contract could allow Chelsea to sell him for a big fee.
The rapid turnover of players means Chelsea may struggle to secure a clear sale next month. Left-back Ian Maatsen was wanted by Burnley and West Ham last summer and has been out of favor this season. Trevoh Chalobah, the main striker, is unlikely to leave if he fails to recover from injury. Conor Gallagher’s contract runs out in 18 months and talks over a new deal have not started but Pochettino does not want to lose the midfielder. Noni Madueke, the winger, has barely featured this season.
Thirty-three players are listed in the men’s squad on Chelsea’s website. While some are academy prospects, depth is not an issue for Pochettino. It has four senior players who can play at left back, six center backs, two right backs, six midfielders, four wingers and two defenders. Two of his midfielders, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo, cost more than £100m each.
It can be concluded that Pochettino’s issue is the quality available to him, rather than any particular holes in his squad.
