Chelsea fans need to have a little patience
New signings might be needed, but they might not be immediate.
Today marks day one of the new Todd Boehly/Clearlake takeover of Chelsea Football Club, but supporters will need to have a little patience before we start seeing new signings.
Every supporter wants to see their club rule the world, and it’s no different for Chelsea’s women’s team, who last season sealed a third consecutive WSL title on the final day against Manchester United.
However, despite the club lifting two trophies, the WSL and FA Cup, the manner in which Chelsea exited the Champions League, took a bit of shine away from the success.
We know from the recent Chelsea documentary on DAZN, that manager Emma Hayes will be telling her players to never forget the pain they felt after that 4-0 defeat against Wolfsburg, and that when they return to club football following the European Championships that they show their rivals that they’re back for good.
Those European Championships, being held in England this summer, are just one of the reasons that Chelsea supporters will need to have a little patience.
Players only have a short rest window between now and their international camps starting, meaning that deals are more likely to be completed after the tournament ends.
Of course it is an advantage for Chelsea that all our Europe’s top players will be in the country, so if they want to approach any player or hold talks, it’s a lot easier to do so.
But, players will be wanting to be focused only on their national teams and prepare for what is going to be the biggest showcase of Women’s football ever, so we will have to wait for those competing into the latter stages.
The other factor is that since March, the club has been unable to make any signings, so whilst Chelsea might have approached clubs and agents regarding a deal, they couldn’t set anything in stone, and that could cost them with other clubs swooping in.
Chelsea start the transfer window three months behind everyone else, who’ve been able to do the background work required to make a signing happen unlike Chelsea.
That’s not to say it hasn’t happened, I revealed on our patreon two players that are likely to be the first signings of the Boehly era, but they are not top European level names, the likes of which most fans will be demanding.
Another factor that could restrict Chelsea in the transfer market is the number of contracts expiring next season.
As shown below by Harry Edwards, Chelsea have a near full strength team who could leave on a free next summer, the club will not want a repeat of what happened with the men’s first team defence, with every key player opting for a fresh challenge.
Chelsea will have to work hard and fast to secure these key players down to longer contracts and that might take some attention away from transfers.
The Boehly era comes with a lot of excitement and messages for him to announce certain players have been like the flood on social media, but it’s important we all remember that these things take time, even if this change of ownership has relighted my fire following the sanctions.
We also know from the LA Dodgers, of whom Boehly owns a small share, that they like to take a more data analytical approach, so whilst Hayes might have ideas in mind, the new board might want to go over the numbers before agreeing to spend.
Chelsea have been within 90 minutes of European glory, and while things have been pretty successful under Roman Abramovich, our greatest day is yet to come.
I would agree with you that extending the contracts of most, if not all, of the "Class of 2023" should be a huge priority - in that group of players, you have the foundation of a very strong team. As the Man City situation shows, things can go sideways very quickly and no elite player with aspirations of winning wants to sign with a team that could be a hollowed-out shell in a year.