Last week Antonio Conte was complaining about Chelsea’s lack of activity in the transfer market. Well the window has closed and after some last day shopping the Blues ended up spending £120m.
The headline making deal was the return of David Luiz from PSG for £34m. Luiz gives Conte the option of playing a three-man defense, but after chasing the like of Michael Emenalo, Marina Granovskaia, Kalidou Koulibaly and Leonardo Bonucci all summer, the arrival of David Luiz seems to have came out of left field.
Chelsea Major Signings:
Michy Batshuayi Marseille £33m; N’Golo Kanté Leicester City £30m; Marcos Alonso Fiorentina £23m; David Luiz PSG £34m
Chelsea Major Departures:
Mohamed Salah Roma £12m; Papy Djilobodji Sunderland £8m; Juan Cuadrado Juventus (loan)
Good Window?
For the second summer in succession, there was a rather slapdash feel to much of Chelsea’s business. The arrivals of N’Golo Kanté and Michy Batshuayi set an upbeat tone but the rather tortuous pursuit of various overpriced centre-halves in Serie A seemed without direction.
Grade
Despite my misgivings over the transfer strategy this was a good window for Chelsea. Not only because of the signings of Kanté, Batshuayi and Alonso, but also for who did not leave Stamford Bridge. Conte was able to persuade Diego Costa and Eden Hazard to stay, and that alone make me give Chelsea a A for this window.
What did you think of Chelsea’s transfer dealing? Happy? Unhappy?
