Ranking Chelsea's summer transfers from bad to worse
Suraj Radia
- Updated: 7 Sept 2022 22:22 BST
- 5 min read
Chelsea broke the world record for the most money spent in a single window this summer, splashing more than £250 million on seven permanent signings.
In the first transfer window under new owner Todd Boehly, the Blues primarily looked to restructure their defence after seeing the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso all leave for free.
There was also a need to strengthen their frontline, with Chelsea desperately lacking a goalscorer following Timo Werner’s return to RB Leipzig and Romelu Lukaku re-joining Inter on loan.
With manager Thomas Tuchel paying the cost by losing his job following a slow start to the season, FootballTransfers ranks Chelsea’s business to see whether the German was adequately prepared for the new campaign.
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Raheem Sterling (£47.5m from Manchester City)
Rank: A
Securing a homegrown, proven Premier League goalscorer in his prime for a cut-price fee from your rivals is about as good of a deal as you can make in a window for any team.
The signing of Raheem Sterling has already paid dividends for Chelsea, with the England international netting three times in six games to top the scoring charts for the Blues.
Sterling was heading into the final year of his contract at Manchester City, prompting Chelsea to swoop in and beat a host of teams to his signature for £47.5m; a shrewd deal all around.
Kalidou Koulibaly (£34m from Napoli)
Rank: B
Chelsea had been long-term admirers of Kalidou Koulibaly but were often quoted extortionate fees for the defender, however they finally secured his signing this summer for £34m.
Koulibaly has had an enigmatic start to his Chelsea career so far but the Senegalese international is certainly a capable replacement for Antonio Rudiger at left centre-back.
Considering Chelsea’s need for defenders, signing a proven talent in Koulibaly is a smart move, although the risk of giving a lucrative four-year contract to a 31-year-old may come back to haunt the Blues.
Carney Chukwuemeka (£16m from Aston Villa)
Rank: B
Aston Villa youngster Carney Chukwuemeka turned down approaches from the likes of Barcelona and Dortmund to sign for Chelsea and the teenager could represent a future gem in England’s midfield.
At £16m, the price may be considered steep for an unproven talent but with bags of potential to burn, Chelsea will be hoping that the price will prove to be a bargain down the line
As a homegrown wonderkid with plenty of time to develop, there is a belief that, barring injury or a dramatic fall from grace, Chelsea will certainly be able to make their money back on Chukwuemeka at worst.
Gabriel Slonina (£8m from Chicago Fire)
Rank: B-
The signing of Gabriel Slonina could be one that Chelsea look back on fondly in years to come, with the 18-year-old joining the club for around £8m before being loaned back to Chicago Fire for the season.
Slonina is considered the future of the United States goalkeeper position and Chelsea beat the likes of Real Madrid to his signature, indicating how highly he is rated.
Drawing comparisons to the signing of Thibaut Courtois in 2011, Chelsea may have solved their long-term goalkeeping issue before it even truly manifests. Solid work.
Marc Cucurella (£58m from Brighton)
Rank: C
Chelsea beat Man City to the signing of Marc Cucurella, with Pep Guardiola desperate to make the Spaniard his long-term left back option at the Etihad.
The wing-back impressed during his sole season at Brighton and has continued his good form going into his early days at Chelsea, proving why teams like City and Barcelona were interested.
However, the £58m fee was steep for a player who may also find himself competing with Ben Chillwell, another £50m signing in 2020, meaning the money perhaps could have been better spent elsewhere instead of in a position where Chelsea already have quality.
Wesley Fofana (£72m from Leicester)
Rank: C-
Wesley Fofana has established himself as one of the finest young defenders in Europe during his two seasons at Leicester after joining them from Saint-Etienne for £36.5m.
However, the 21-year-old is coming off the back of a broken leg which ruled him out of almost all of last season, having been a player renowned for his physicality.
Chelsea made Fofana one of the most expensive defenders of all-time despite the Frenchman having yet to prove his fitness and long-term value at that price, making the deal a huge risk despite ultimately signing a great player.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m from Barcelona)
Rank: D-
Despite a host of teams being in the market for a striker this summer, elite level forwards that provided good value for money were something of a rarity.
Chelsea brought Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to the Premier League after a spell in Barcelona and put faith in the hope that he would showcase his best form instead of the problems he caused at Arsenal prior to his departure.
However, while the deal was initially reasonable, the sacking of Tuchel - a manager who knew Aubameyang well - means that Chelsea run a great risk of having another highly-paid flop on their hands.
