Chelsea played some miserable football over the course of the 2022/23 season. Todd Boehly and his team invested heavily in the squad and made some wholesale changes to the club. However, things went as south as they could and nothing seemed to work out. The fans were disheartened with performances and managers kept going and coming. As the season progressed, there were almost no signs of improvement despite the fact that Boehly brought in reinforcements in the winter window. However, despite the large number of negatives, Boehly did do a few things right at the club last season. Here’s a look at three things that Boehly did right.
Chelsea investment in young talent
Todd Boehly and his team’s transfer strategy at Chelsea has been questioned over the course of the season. The team struggled to succeed on the pitch despite the fresh influx of talent. Most big-money signings struggled to find their place in the starting eleven and failed to make a mark. Despite the public outrage, what has gone unnoticed is the fact that Boehly and his team have identified some of the most exciting young footballers around the world and secured their services.
Andrey Santos captained Brazil in the U20 World Cup, scoring two goals and assisting one. Similarly, Cesar Casadei was the captain of the Italian team and led them to the final of the tournament. Scoring seven goals and assisting another two, Casadei won the Adidas Golden Boot Award. On top of that, the 20-year-old was awarded the Golden Ball award, making him the tournament’s best player. The Italian’s talent means that Boehly’s team has a solid option in midfield, and he has a high chance of being part of Pochetino squad next season. On the other hand, Gabriel Slonina captained the USA team and conceded only two goals in five games, keeping four clean sheets in the process.
It is enticing to see new signings leave their mark at the U20 World Cup, and it is a reminder to the world of the kind of talent the club has on its books. Poch will give these players a chance in the preseason and decide if they can be integrated into the first team next season.
Other names like David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Omari Hutchinson are also huge talents. Although the club could have handled their development properly last season, they will all get chances in the preseason to prove their worth. Latest signing Kendry Paez also reached a milestone as he became the youngest scorer in the tournament’s history. He ended up scoring one goal and assisting two for Ecuador in the tournament.
It is clear that Boehly and his team have identified some of the most exciting young talents out there. They have invested heavily in these players and made a bet for the future. With the right development path, they can feature for the Blues for years to come, and this is definitely of the big positives of the new regime.