10 dumbest signings of the summer

Chelsea’s youth departures

Ever since Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003, the club have spent extravagantly in the transfer market. Big signings come in year after year. This forces most of their youth players to go out on loan or be sold to lower sides. However, this transfer window has been a bit different in that they have sold a more than a few key pieces as well, leaving their squad depth razor thin.

Diego Costa has all but made a move away from Chelsea this summer, leaving the only other strikers on the squad Alvaro Morata and Michy Batshuayi. Morata is an uber talented center forward, but if something happens to him, the only viable option is Batshuayi, who has scored more goals against his team than for them this season. Chelsea loaned out promising target forward Tammy Abraham to Swansea.

Cesc Fabregas simply cannot play every match in the league at this point in his career. The only other three central midfielders in the squad are N’Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater and Charly Musonda, unless you count Eden Hazard. If so, then only the likes of Kennedy, Willian and Pedro are left on the wings. Chelsea loaned out Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mari Pasalic, Jeremie Boga and Lewis Baker, and sold Bertrand Traore and Christian Atsu.

Chelsea play a 3-5-2, which means that they play with five defenders on the pitch. They currently have eight first-team defenders in the squad, including just three out-and-out wing-backs. The Blues loaned out eight players from the defense and sold Nathan Ake.

Rotation is going to be key for Chelsea as they are back in the Champions League. For a squad with as little depth as they have, getting rid of all those bench options is not the smartest approach.