Chelsea’s transfer activity so far follows patterns of Roman Abramovich era
By George Perry
Despite their seemingly sluggish pace, Chelsea are hewing to their pattern of the Roman Abramovich era in the timing and sequence of their transfers.
With all the transfer rumours swirling around Chelsea, their very real needs at the end of the title-winning season and the long-awaited turnover of the kit sponsor contracts, Chelsea fans carried high expectations for the club’s activity on July 1. Many expected the Blues to announce a wave of signings, starting with Romelu Lukaku and carrying on to Tiemoue Bakayoko and Alex Sandro.
Instead, July has been a disappointment for many and a source of deep concern for others. However, Chelsea have established a pattern to their transfer activity under Roman Abramovich. So far, their transfer business is consistent with the previous 14 summers.
On average, Chelsea sign three players before they sign their most expensive player of a summer transfer window. Six times, their highest-value signing was their fifth overall. Only twice have the Blues opened the summer with their most expensive signing: Jose Bosingwa in 2008 and Eden Hazard in 2012.
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On four occasions, the most expensive transfer was the final signing of the summer. Those were Michael Essien (2005), Yuri Zhirkov (2009), Ramires (2010) and David Luiz (2016).
This summer was the sixth time since 2003 that Chelsea’s first new addition was either a free transfer or a youth signing. Being first is no guarantee of success. In some years, Chelsea opens with Petr Cech, Michael Ballack (on a free), Thibaut Courtois or Hazard. Other years the honour goes to Asier Del Horno, Steven Sidwell or Ben Gordon.
Chelsea average 3 signings by July 15, followed by 1.9 in August. That puts the Blues’ activity on target so far this summer, with Ethan Ampadu and Antonio Rudiger joining Caballero in the Class of July 2017. And in three years (2006, 2008, 2011) Chelsea did not make any signings at all in July.
This year carries a particular sense of urgency for many fans. The aggressiveness with which Chelsea’s top six rivals (plus Everton) have moved grossly outpaces the Blues’ activity. The Romelu Lukaku debacle should have been a wake-up call to Marina Gronovskaia and Michael Emenalo. But so far, it seems to have had little effect.
The most worrisome possibility is that people inside Stamford Bridge echo those on the outside in thinking “We have done this before, and things turned out OK. Why should we do anything different now?” That is the motto of a person or an organization that does not realize they have already been passed by. Translate it into Latin and it could be Arsenal’s club motto, engraved on the gates at the Emirates.
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Clubs across the Premier League table are catching up to Chelsea in expenditure and ambition. While the vast majority still lag in ability, they place upward pressure on those clubs who will challenge the Blues: the Manchester’s, Tottenham and Liverpool.
Roman Abramovich should not tolerate his transfer staff falling behind any more than he would tolerate his manager failing to adapt tactically. If Abramovich, Granovskaia and Emenalo conclude this is the strategy to further success, so be it. But if they are doing this because this is how they have always done it, the Blues are living on borrowed time.
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Abramovich has fired his managers for that mentality on the pitch. His standards should be no different among his transfer personnel.