Todd Boehly is set to overhaul one of the remaining pillars of Roman Abramovich's Chelsea with a major transfer policy reshuffle. The new owners have already changed most other things from the previous regime including managers, players, recruitment staff, directors, physios and groundsmen.
Having also spent over £600m ($751.9m) in the process, more than Abramovich ever splashed out across two windows, the Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership are under immense scrutiny and pressure to get results turning on the pitch. They are currently searching for a third permanent manager in less than 12-months and have seen the side drop out of the top four, too.
While doing that they have managed to only further bloat an already packed squad, buying 18 players across the season, ranging from teenagers to 33-year-olds. Very few have so far come off with the scattergun and ever-changing approach to new signings only contributing to the unsettled and disjointed feeling at Cobham.
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With a 32-man playing squad and 21 out on loan currently, new directors Laurence Stewart, Christopher Vivell, Joe Shields and Paul Winstanley have a big task on their hands to cut the group down to a manageable size with Mauricio Pochettino still expected to be the next man in the hot seat having to deal with the tools he is given.
One thing he won't have to deal with past this season is the loan army of players on the books but farmed out across Europe each year. The Evening Standard write that Boehly and Co are set to put an end to the mass loan system, implementing a streamlined approach to offering progression for young players.
This is what the model was used for under Abramovich but reached new heights in 2019 when 41 players were sent out, many continually being moved temporarily away from Stamford Bridge without so much as a look in at first team football or a senior appearance.
It also saw overpaid and underperforming players see out their contracts, ageing and costing the club money with the hope of coming into good form and recouping some funds but that rarely happened. As for the young players, although Mason Mount, Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Trevoh Chalobah have all benefited from their loans, it is an exception rather than the rule.
The new structure will place a priority on those who the club feel have a future at the club, reducing needless and wasteful time away from Cobham. It has been partially forced upon Chelsea due to FIFA refulations coming in from next season which limits clubs to seven oversees loans.
Players 21 or under and also club-trained will be exempt from the new regulations but it will stop the yearly exodus of players like Danny Drinkwater, Michy Batshuayi and Tiemoue Bakayoko in recent campaigns.
Of the 21 out on loan this season there are first team prospects for Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Levi Colwill and Callum Hudson-Odoi, though the latter is largely expected to be a part of the group on their way out permanently. Given the amount of players that have been moved through the system, it is a sorry number to be left with in contention.
Meanwhile, Andrey Santos and Malo Gusto will return from their own short-term loans away having been sent back to their former clubs upon completing transfers to Chelsea in January. They are both expected to join up with the first team next season.
This season alone, Chelsea have either sold, own or have loaned players with a market high price of £336.5m ($421.7m). In return for that they have recieved less than £30m ($37.6m) in return.
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