This is a syndication of the article originally published for the BBC, here.
It was a very solid transfer window for Chelsea, but one which just fell short of being really exceptional.
Unlike last year, where it was hard to identify where the team had really improved over the summer, the Blues added first team quality and depth through the squad.
Sales were also always going to be important this summer, and on that front things went even better, starting with an unexpected windfall for Joao Felix from Saudi Arabia. The club were able to cash in on some of their successful buy low, sell high gambles from years past: Renato Veiga and Noni Madueke were both flipped for serious profit. That created the headroom necessary for another major shakeup of the first XI.
Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)
Joao Pedro has hit the ground running up front and looks to finally have brought a consistent goalscorer to Stamford Bridge. The most hyped transfer was one arranged more than a year ago – Estevao Willian is probably the most exciting attacking signing at Chelsea since Eden Hazard. But less glamorous additions like Jorrel Hato and the return of Andrey Santos will be just as important in a long season competing on four fronts.
Of course it wasn’t a perfect window – Robert Sanchez is still the first choice goalkeeper, and there does feel a risk in relying on the injury prone Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile as important defensive options in a season we know Levi Colwill is going to miss.
Nicolas Jackson’s departure to Bayern Munich was a deal too good to miss – but it’s a gamble and it will only take a couple of injuries up front for it to backfire.
