Overall, Chelsea’s transfer window was pretty good if you ignore deadline day

I want to give praise where it’s due

I was almost back, I was almost buying my Blueco hat and wearing it on every Podcast and out in public. I’d have truly done that if Chelsea had finished the summer transfer window strong. I’d have been back on their side fully. But instead, they have managed to turn a fan base who were warming to them again completely against them due to pure incompetence on deadline day and in fact, leading up to deadline day. But anyway, I’ve already written about that, this is the time for praise.

Because I can do both.

Taking away the glaring weak midfield we now have, Chelsea have had a very good summer window.

The biggest and best signing was Xabi Alonso. He’s just done something to the players, to the fan base. He’s instilled a belief and a confidence again, and he’s bringing the aura and the vibes back. It just feels right with him, and in Xabi we trust.

Then handing Xabi the keys and admitting we need to completely abandon the failed youth project. That was the second best thing Blueco did all summer, and I’m so pleased they did.

They went on to sign more experienced players, and some very good ones at that. Jorden Henderson and Danny Welbeck were smart additions to the squad and will help change the culture and bring more leadership.

Maxence Lacroix is a top signing, bringing more dominance and presence at the back. I do believe we should have signed another ‘Maxence Lacroix’ as well though and I am still concerned about our centre back options overall and how the defence looks. I cannot move away from those worries and I fear I may come back to them.

Marco Palestra and Pep Chavarria both seem to be very shrewd signings as well and look like decent additions.

Obviously Emi Martinez was a highly celebrated signing and one I am pleased with.

Then we’ve improved our attack and have made that look very good with the addition of Morgan Rogers. Expensive, but hopefully will prove worth it.

And as for the outgoings, we’ve done well there, even if I’d have liked to have seen more sales than loans. Some of the fees we got for players such as Liam Delap is incredible and needs applauding. And finally realising that Robert Sanchez needed to go late in the window was also truly refreshing and relieving to see.

A lot of the deadwood pushed out too, even if some of them will be back here next summer… But yeah.

I am a bit concerned that we still have some players here who wanted to leave. So has the culture truly been reset?

But overall, a pretty decent window but far from perfect.

I am rating it a 6/10. It would have been higher if we sorted the midfield, signed another CB as well as Lacroix, and sold more players rather than just loaned them all. But the incomings itself and what I mentioned above, gives it an above average feel for me. I’d possibly stretch to a 7/10, but yesterday is still fresh in my mind and has me seething.

Simon Phillips