Graham Potter doesn’t care what Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp think about Chelsea ’s mammoth transfer window spend.
Because everyone at Stamford Bridge, and particularly the Blues’ new mega-money signings, will have to get used to the jibes that follow them, especially when the chips are down. On Friday, Liverpool boss Klopp joked that he would only speak about Chelsea’s outlay with a lawyer present.
While Manchester City gaffer Pep Guardiola, when asked what people would say about his club dropping £323million on new talent in a January window, griped: “I know what would happen.”
But Potter, who heard new boy Enzo Fernandez, a British record transfer at £107million, serenaded with chants of ‘What a waste of money’ from visiting Fulham fans during Friday’s goalless draw, said: “It’s not just Enzo who will have to get used to it, it’s the whole team.
“It’s normal because we’ve spent the money we’ve spent. The media aren’t going to let that go under the radar, so all of football will be singing that song, that’s for sure.
“Everybody's entitled to their opinion. It’s a free world, it’s free speech, which is good. [Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp] are entitled to their opinion. I don’t worry too much about that. They’ve got their right to speak. And that’s fair enough.”
What was clear from Friday’s London derby was that the outlay will not mean a quick fix for Potter and his struggling side.
Fernandez played well, but Mikhailo Mudryck, struggling with a cold, was anonymous and substituted at half-time, and the best player on the pitch, Thiago Silva, arrived on a free transfer in 2020.
That said, on-loan Joao Felix will be available for selection against West Ham on Saturday after completing a three-game ban for the red card he was shown against Fulham on his debut last month.
And the big test now for Potter is managing a huge squad after Chelsea failed to get anyone out before the window closed. He added: “January is very complicated. As I’ve said before, you’d want things to be more optimal.
“But, at the same time, we know the situation we’re in, we know the transition period that we’re in, so it’s always going to be a case of managing in challenging circumstances.
“But I'm certainly not complaining, it's exciting. It'll test me, it’ll test my attributes and my quality, and that’s something to be happy for. You see the profile of the players that we brought in.
“They're excited, they're excited for the now but also they can improve and get better as the team develops. It’s an investment from both parties. It’s a long-term commitment. So we need some stability. We need some work. We need to progress the team. And that's the challenge.”
Whether Potter will be given the time he needs to progress the team, only Chelsea’s owners know but they are adamant he has their backing. But asked if he could put a timescale on it, he said: “I’d be lying if I could say that.
“I don’t think anybody can give you a timescale, any amount of time. I could put it this way, if I could get a month for every time I've been asked that question, then I'll be here for five years’.”
