Chelsea are making controversial £72m transfer decision Enzo Maresca is prepared for

The logic behind spending in the transfer window is to improve a team. Be it via a world-class star, addressing a missing position, or adding depth, club recruitment setups all aim to make progress.

Whether this is to surge up the league, compete across more competitions, or better suit a manager’s tactical demands, the goal is the same. How can we get as many points as possible?

Sometimes, that is a goalscorer to lead the side from the front. Other times, it is a goalkeeper or a leading centre-back to bolster the backline.

For Chelsea this summer, the key points were quite wide-ranging. The general consensus is that they need an upgrade in goal, some defensive solidity, midfield reinforcement, left-wing quality, and a striker.

In Liam Delap, they have found a top young No.9 to compete with and support Nicolas Jackson, whether he becomes the first choice or not. Andrey Santos and Dario Essugo are set to address the midfield cover, especially if Romeo Lavia can stay fit.

That leaves the right-footed left winger, goalkeeper, and centre-back. The latter two may both be dependent on possible outgoings. If Chelsea do not sell then they do not really have the room to include yet another centre-back, especially if Wesley Fofana is available – although that is the biggest if going.

As for the goalkeeper, the club’s public view has been that they are happy with Robert Sanchez despite an up-and-down two years. Those sentiments were backtracked on at the start of the window when an approach for Mike Maignan was made.

The Frenchman was seen as a market opportunity ahead of the Club World Cup given his contract situation at AC Milan and may not be revisited. Chelsea have since left Djordje Petrovic out of the squad taken to America as he pursues a guaranteed No.1 spot somewhere else.

Sanchez’s strong end to last season and Petrovic’s desire to be backed immediately by Maresca, who did not favour him in the summer of 2024 either, has seen Chelsea lose a goalkeeper who is arguably better than at least one (if not both) of those who will remain at Stamford Bridge. How they move forward waits to be seen.

All of a sudden, two of the five summer targets are uncertain. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Chelsea have probably been too hasty to buy players in recent years and it has come back to bite them.

For example, lining up with Joao Felix and Christopher Nkunku last season was wholly unnecessary and saw neither get the required game time to stay happy heading into January. Should they buy another goalkeeper before sorting the future of Sanchez and/or Filip Jorgensen, then it would create problems.

The same is true at the back, where buying another centre-back before making final calls on Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Fofana, and maybe even Tosin Adarabioyo could be costly. In these areas, exits must come before additions.

It is not outrageous to imagine Chelsea heading into the 2025/26 season without making clear improvements here. Sanchez has fought off competition before and may well do it again. As for the defence, Levi Colwill has been settled with Adarabioyo, Fofana, or Chalobah, whilst Badiashile is a good enough alternative on the left.

In terms of the starting positions in Chelsea’s main XI from the end of last season (Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo, Neto, Palmer, Madueke; Jackson), there are not many glaring areas set to change. As mentioned, there are better goalkeepers out there but Chelsea are not looking for starters elsewhere.

It is only on the left-wing, where Madueke has had to fill in of late, that a spot has opened up. Jadon Sancho’s exit means that the biggest problem position has no natural senior heir.

Tyrique George can play on the left but is still developing and learning the ropes. Pedro Neto has carved out the right-wing for himself, whilst Mykhailo Mudryk is suspended indefinitely.

It’s notable that Chelsea have put so much effort in resolving the left-side issue already this summer. Jamie Gittens is their priority, but would he be an upgrade on Sancho immediately? That is certainly up for debate.

Sancho proved a safe, if unspectacular, pair of hands. Gittens is exciting but far from the full package right now. He has flashes, extreme pace, and plenty of ability, but will also need time to adjust to a new league and team with huge expectations and ambitions.

Whether it is Gittens, or Malick Fofana, it is worth asking if Chelsea would be a better side than they were last season with these players. Neither are assured but both have plenty of desirable attributes.

Chelsea have opted against buying players at the top of their game with a preference for promise and potential, hence how they could end up paying £42million on a new left-winger without a track record at the elite level. Alejandro Garnacho, Mohammed Kudus, and some of the other Premier League-proven names are closer to being readymade but also carry higher price tags.

The question is, with Champions League football returning to SW6, should Chelsea be aiming further up the food chain? There is confidence in the bulk of Maresca’s squad, but will they be better for all the possible spending?

Maresca’s defence has been settled and performing well for much of 2025. Reece James is a wonderful right-back and Marc Cucurella’s resurgence continues on the left. There is no need for major change here, although a back-up left-back will surely be sought at some stage.

In midfield they have two £100million players who are clicking together. Lavia is a unique profile to add to the mix and now Santos and Essugo come in with a blend of physicality, ball-winning, and box-to-box attributes to round things off. There is little room to improve here too.

On the right, Madueke and Neto are strong options whilst Estevao Willian will joIn them. Even though there have been doubts over Jackson, Chelsea now have an extra body to help to play 90 minutes with a true focal point with Delap able to rotate and offer something different.

Even though Delap might not represent more goals on paper, the impact he could have on Jackson and the team is substantial and worthwhile. Unless Chelsea were to buy Victor Osimhen, or maybe Hugo Ekitike – who would need some time himself as a young player – there is unlikely to be a major change to the starting XI here either.

Osimhen is the Chelsea signing of years gone by who is simply too expensive to be affordable or justifiable. Ekitike is a tremendous player but his price is extortionate.

Which leaves a strange picture. Chelsea have invested £30million on a much-needed striker in a good deal. They are ready to invest upwards of £40million a left-winger, and yet there is no clear improvement to the starting XI.

As set out at the top, this is not really how transfer windows are meant to work. The reinforcement is more targeted, so far, than last summer’s largely shambolic window, but work has to be done.

Chelsea have the core of a strong team which finished fourth in the end, finishing last season well. They have already improved on that with Delap, Santos, and Essugo, but the best starting XI does not really look any different.

This is not a criticism. Chelsea do not need to be spending massive money to give Maresca more tools, just the right money. Maignan replacing Sanchez would be an upgrade. Some form of natural left-winger is needed, but the players at the forefront of Chelsea’s mind do not immediately give impetus.

Instead, Chelsea are seeking to make this a window of affirming their position, creating depth and a genuine cohort of players Maresca can trust, rather than just 14 or 15 which he ended up relying on last season. They could yet find themselves paying out plenty more on goalkeepers and centre-backs, maybe even another striker to join Jackson and Delap, but they will do well to find players who improve the team in most positions.