Chelsea’s board seems to have woken from its long slumber with a flurry of activity. But not all activity is good activity and the board is not thinking.
“Work smarter, not harder” is a phrase more common in some circles than others. It basically means as it says; finding the best solution to an issue is better than grinding away at it.
This is a lesson the Chelsea board must not have heard before. Though it is great that they are suddenly and seemingly aware of the transfer market, the way in which they are operating is less than ideal. Chelsea has plenty of needs in the market but the board is more interested in luxury wants.
The Jorginho deal, the only official move so far, was a smart move. It appears even smarter when compared to the near Jean Seri deal and the role Jorginho’s transfer played in appointing Maurizio Sarri. It filled a need the squad had under Sarri and filled it with a world class player.
But every other rumor is less than smart. Starting from the top is Gonzalo Higuain. Higuain is a good striker who would be an improvement over Chelsea’s current crop. But he is also 30, about to be on the decline, and highly unnecessary (especially for the rumored price tag).
Higuain and Olivier Giroud in the same team is redundant. Alvaro Morata is on the chopping block if Higuain signs, as is Michy Batshuayi most likely. The striker role is pretty well covered between the three current strikers and adding another at the cost of any of the current players is a waste of money. Morata and Batshuayi both deserve the chance to lead the line and Giroud can deputize for a season.
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Another issue comes in defense with the rumored Daniele Rugani move. Chelsea is more than set at center back. Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger can be the pairing for years to come. But if Rugani signs, one will have to head to the bench. It is also likely that two of Gary Cahill, David Luiz, and Kurt Zouma depart due to falling so far down the depth chart. Chelsea does not need to add another center back.
Combined, the Higuain and Rugani deals would basically pay Juventus’ fee for Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, it would have been smarter for Chelsea to blow that cash on Ronaldo than it would have been to attempt to sign Higuain and Rugani. Ronaldo would not have filled a need nor would his age have been desirable, but at least he would be a massive jump in quality and a marketing masterstroke.
To add to all this, Chelsea is quickly running into a home grown player issue. Chelsea cannot afford to bring in many players without sending others out, making it all the more critical that the moves they make are smart.
Next: Chelsea: Jorginho is a start, but keeping Eden Hazard is the statement
Chelsea’s current flurry of activity is heartening after the previous windows. But it does not bode well if Chelsea is suddenly sitting on a pile of cash from a big sale. Stretching the resources out with smart buys is a better route than buying several players that are luxuries. The board needs to learn how to work smarter, not harder if Chelsea is to improve next season.