As an honest Chelsea fan, this summer transfer window is absolutely grinding my gears. Long gone are the days when I looked forward to a summer of possibilities for my club. Nowadays, it's difficult to believe, and there's also anxiety in wondering whether or not the Blues make the right calls with new ownership in town. After seasons of questionable decisions coupled with success, all I ask for is a window where every move that the Blues complete make sense.
It is the start of the Todd Boehly era, a clean slate. There are high expectations for the American - especially considering the complaints around the American owners of Manchester United and Arsenal. Chelsea fans have always been spoiled for choice under Roman Abramovich. The goal was always to win, and our transfer windows were lavish because of that standard.
Thomas Tuchel is the perfect coach to enter a new era with. He's smart, he's a tactician, and not to mention, he'd won Chelsea the Champions League in under six months of management. Just imagine the possibilities if he actually gets the players he wants! The conflicting reports so far in the summer window would drive any fan crazy, and I'm here to show you that you are not alone.
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Raheem Sterling, Raphinha, Richarlison, Antony, Robert Lewandowski, Neymar and Ousmane Dembele
Six transfer targets that Chelsea have been linked with are all named above. All players to strengthen an attack that should quite frankly be the last thing on our minds. As exciting as it is to be linked with some of the most promising and the best talents in the world right now, it must be said that I'd rather see a Jules Kounde or Matthijs de Ligt transfer announced first. As it stands, the Blues have lost two centre-backs and could lose another depending on Cesar Azpilicueta's Barcelona decision.
Reports suggest that Raheem Sterling is Chelsea's main target for the summer window. It comes as a surprise considering that reportedly, Ousmane Dembele is at the top of Tuchel's wish list. Either signing would be sensational, but the battle for what to believe is mind-boggling. The month of June has put increased pressure on Chelsea to make a big-name marquee signing. It's to the point where conflicting reports are making it extremely difficult to understand where the Blues truly stand in the transfer window.
Players such as Raphinha and Richarlison, Premier League proven talents, have also been linked with Boehly's Blues. It sounds like a repeat of the 2020 transfer window where Frank Lampard managed to sign three new attacking signings that seemed perfect at the time but ultimately backfired. Whilst Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech have shown to be top-class players since their arrival Kai Havertz seems to have been the only newbie to make his mark.
In an ideal world, Chelsea could sign all of the forwards that they are linked to - both realistic targets and unrealistic targets like Neymar. But the reality is that the Blues cannot afford a £65 million Raphinha or a £50 million Richarlison if they are to begin a squad rebuild. The most important areas to fill would be in the defence. Both centre-backs and wing-back options have a large void to fill. Also, the midfield is facing a crisis where both N'Golo Kante and Jorginho could be out of contract next summer.
It's been less than a month since the transfer window officially opened, and some patience will be required. After all, some of our best transfers were completed in the month of July. Only Tuchel and Boehly will have the final say on who they bring into the squad and why, so for now, we have to endure the transfer rumours and find a bit of joy in that. It's a compliment to be linked with such names in the football world, but it's also quite frustrating to have to endure the conflicting reports.
Hold on for a bumpy ride, my fellow Chelsea fans. We're all going through it together!
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