Chelsea Hoping Reset on Squad Can Help Deliver Better Results

Chelsea Hoping Reset on Squad Can Help Deliver Better Results

Not only does Chelsea go into the 2023/24 Premier League campaign with a new manager, but their squad has changed considerably from last season. The Blues have offloaded several players during the summer transfer window, and they have also been active in bringing new faces into Stamford Bridge.

Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino was appointed as their new head coach earlier in the summer on a two-year deal, with an option of a further year also in the contract. It marks a return to the Premier League for the Argentine since he was sacked by Spurs in 2019.

Pochettino led Tottenham to the Champions League final in 2019. They were beaten in that game by Liverpool. He joined French club PSG following his departure from North London, and he had a lot of success in Paris, winning three trophies, including the 2021-22 Ligue 1 crown.

One of the reasons Chelsea opted to name Pochettino as Graham Potter’s long-term replacement was due to his style of play. He is known for his attacking brand of football, and he has proved popular with the supporters of the clubs he has managed.

As of July 24, Chelsea is +1600 with Betway to win the Premier League title in Pochettino’s opening season in charge. The 51-year-old is bidding for his first piece of silverware in England. With the investment which has already been made in the Blues’ squad, he will be hoping that will come sooner rather than later at his latest club.

🏠 pic.twitter.com/ZPi42qlEVQ

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 7, 2023

Big Wage Players Have Freed Up Space in Squad

As we have reported recently, Chelsea has already accumulated over £400 million from sales of players in their new transfer strategy. Arguably their biggest loss is Mason Mount. The club could not agree on a new contract with the midfielder, so he was sold to Manchester United for £55 million.

German international Kai Havertz is another player that was happy to leave Stamford Bridge ahead of the new campaign. The forward scored the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League for Chelsea, so he will always be fondly remembered for that contribution. The former Bayer Leverkusen man will now play his football in North London, after signing for the Gunners for £65 million, as reported by the BBC.

Central midfielders Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and N’Golo Kante all also found new homes this summer. The first of those players joined Premier League champions Manchester City for £25 million. Pep Guardiola is thought to be a big fan of the Croatian and saw him as one of his key targets ahead of their title defense. Kante and Tiemoue Bakayoko both departed on free transfers as their contracts at the club expired.

Saudi Arabian league clubs have acquired several big-name players from Europe over the last few months. Al-Hilal purchased Senegalese duo Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy for £17 million and £16 million respectively.

Although Chelsea fans will be happy their club has been able to strip back on their squad, one player they will be sad to see go is Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spaniard had been with the club for 11 years and in that time, he has established himself as a Blues legend. He will now play his football in Spain for Atletico Madrid.

Chelsea Hoping for Goals from Jackson and Nkunku

Two of Chelsea’s most notable signings this summer have been strikers. They have spent £84 million on securing both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku. Goals were a problem for the Blues last season, and they will be hoping their two new forwards can help them find the back of the net more regularly.

Jackson arrives at Chelsea from La Liga club Villarreal for £32 million. The Senegal international scored 13 goals last season in Spain. He was set to move to Bournemouth last January, but that deal collapsed when he failed his medical due to a hamstring problem.

For a fee of £52 million, Frenchman Nkunku is an even bigger investment for Chelsea. They have been linked with the striker for a while, and after he scored 23 goals for RB Leipzig last season, the Premier League club made a move for his services.

Nkunku has been one of the hottest strikers in Europe over the last two years, scoring 58 goals in that period. In the 2021/22 Europa League campaign, he scored 11 times in 12 matches, while last season, he netted three times in the Champions League.

The new Chelsea man made his international debut for France in 2022. He was named in the Les Bleus squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but he picked up an injury during training ahead of that competition which forced him to miss it.

OFFICIAL: Chelsea sign Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal on an eight-year contract 💰 pic.twitter.com/CQ4159r0ee

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 30, 2023

More Will Be Expected from Previous Signings

Chelsea was very busy during the transfer window back in January. The club broke its transfer record to sign Enzo Fernandez for £106 million, as reported by CNN. The World Cup winner showed glimpses of his brilliance, but with a full pre-season behind him, Chelsea fans will be hoping to see more from the former Benfica man this season.

The Blues also signed one of the brightest prospects in Europe when they snapped up striker Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk. He played 17 times for Chelsea last season, but he failed to score his first goal for the club. Pochettino will need to try to get more from the exciting talent under his rein in charge.

Raheem Sterling made the move from Manchester City to Chelsea in the summer of 2022 for £47.5 million. The Englishman scored just six Premier League goals last season. That was his lowest total in the league since the 2015-16 campaign. The 28-year-old has shown for England in the UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup that he is capable of being a match-winner in big games and he will need to now prove that for the West London club.

Chelsea’s opening game of the 2023/24 Premier League comes at home to Liverpool on August 13. They are not involved in any European competition next season after finishing 12th in the standings last year.

We hope you enjoyed the article “Chelsea Hoping Reset on Squad Can Help Deliver Better Results.” Where do you think Chelsea will finish this season? Let us know!

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