Gianfranco Zola: Chelsea FC Improved With Clever Spending
By Muneeb Khan
We have been hearing a great deal about Chelsea FC’s transfer dealings this summer, especially about how good the club has been in balancing the budget and staying ahead of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations. Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola is the latest to come out in support of the club’s new transfer policy and called the moves “clever”.
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Gianfranco Zola was speaking at the Soccerex Global Convention when he was asked about his old club’s transfer policy and he had nothing but good things to say about it. He even went on to say that “Chelsea look like they will be one of the teams to beat” but also said that “the Premier League is long and the tough moments will come.”
"“I think it was very clever the way they used their money. They have a strong team, in every position they are very good. The quality of the football has been made better and I believe that Fabregas has a lot to do with that. Chelsea look like they will be one of the teams to beat – but the Premier League is long and the tough moments will come.”-Gianfranco ZolaSource: Belfast Telegraph"
Clever may really be an understatement when you look back at the work Chelsea and Jose Mourinho have done this summer. They turned an erratic defender/midfielder and a spoiled striker in to a world class playmaker and potentially one of the best strikers in the Premier League. Not to mention an established international leftback and a proven striker. The club did all this while keeping their net spend below £20 million which is a tremendous accomplishment.
This represents a major change in the club’s transfer policy where it was all spending and not much selling. Jose Mourinho himself commented on this change when he said that Chelsea is at a financial disadvantage compared to other clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid.
Chelsea is preparing itself for this by developing young talent and selling them for a profit in order to fund moves for established players. It is not a foolproof strategy but with the right men running the show it can be, to borrow a word from Gianfranco Zola, very clever.
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