Chelsea will continue to be linked to players like Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, especially when reports come out that both players want to leave their clubs.
I predicted that we will hear Chelsea’s name linked to Neymar earlier this week when news came out about him wanting to leave. And as if by clockwork, around an hour later, the links from France began.
But these links are probably not without substance. We keep hearing there’s been a desire from our owners to bring in a big marquee name since they arrived last summer. You cannot ignore the commercial side of such a signing as well, with shirt sales coming into the equation. As business men they will lick their lips at such potential signings. But they are now caught between a rock and a hard place, because they have bought in the new recruitment team as well as Mauricio Pochettino, and the transfer strategy has changed, probably for the better.
We all saw the scattergun approach last summer and how that has now proven to be a mistake. And now, with Pochettino and the new recruitment team, the strategy is becoming clear.
Chelsea, and more importantly Pochettino, want young and hungry players in this squad. Players who are ready to run solidly for 90 minutes, fight for second balls, defend even if they are a striker, and fight for the club and for each other. Pochettino not only wants quality players in his squad, he also wants intense work horses. And unfortunately players like Mbappe and Neymar will just never fit that profile, which is why I believe such names are being shelved now.
We could all get lost in the dream of bringing in such a big name, not just our owners. I’ve seen a lot of people on Twitter/X touting for a move for Neymar, but the fact remains that these players who often come with baggage and egos as well as superb quality, are just not the players that Poch wants around the building and in his squad right now. He wants team players, not individuals. He wants a family and collective atmosphere and feel in his squad, not players who think/know they are better than everyone else and on ridiculously big wages.
That’s the other thing, our wage structure. We have all seen and heard how that has changed for the better also and having players on lower wages but with incentives to earn more. Although there has been rumours suggesting Chelsea have leeway to bring in a marquee player on big wages, you just cannot see that ever coming to fruition given the circumstances and our strategy we are following in recruitment right now.
To be honest, I only see it as a good thing and really, we should absolutely be sticking to it despite temptations to move for an Mbappe or a Neymar. Part of Chelsea’s current strategy is to sign the next Mbappe or Neymar BEFORE they get to world class level and demand silly wages.
As I always say, there is no way I’d fully rule out a move for a marquee name like Mabppe or Neymar, but my feeling right now is that none of them will happen purely because of our vision and our pathway right now under the new recruitment team and Pochettino. I see a pathway away from such names, and I don’t see it changing.
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