Chelsea just got ‘$60m’ confirmation of transfer bargain as Todd Boehly hits double jackpot

With a squad of 33 players plus the arrivals of Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, Ian Maatsen and Christopher Nkunku in the summer, Chelsea’s first thought ahead of the next window is for a clearout not for even more recruits. That being said, there are still areas that still need major improvement.

The goalkeeping department is being questioned with Kepa Arrizabalaga’s hit-and-miss form as well as Edouard Mendy’s lack of gametime. Up front, there is a lack of goals and a new centre forward is high on the list of priorities despite a plethora of attacking options.

It is midfield that has been the area of concern for longest though. Before Enzo Fernandez joined in January it has been over four years since the last new player was added to the squad permanently in that role.

The Blues splashed out £106.8m on the Argentine World Cup winner with a record breaking Premier League fee, a deal that raised eyebrows across the league. The 22-year-old had played less than 70 senior games at that point but was added to the squad in the midst of a mass turnover of players in the winter.

He came as a cheaper option despite his massive price tag, than Jude Bellingham. The 19-year-old is expected to move in the summer for another massive fee with Liverpool, Real Madrid and Manchester City all interested in the Borussia Dortmund starlet. He has his own price tag of $161m (£130m) according to the Athletic.

That itself has already risen from around $100m (£80m) before the World Cup. It’s a remarkable $60m increase in the space of just over four months. As one of the standout players in his position at the tournament, Bellingham’s stock has only gone up and may well continue to do so with increasingly vital roles for England as well as his club.

Dortmund are still challenging for the Bundesliga title this season and know that they have the attention of all the world’s biggest clubs when it comes to getting his signature. Chelsea though are no longer expected to be part of the chasing pack having already made their big statement buy in Fernandez. It could prove to be a smart piece of business too.