Chelsea have been praised for how they've acted in the transfer market, with the hierarchy not afraid to sell players when required.
In the last three transfer windows Chelsea have spent over £1bn, with new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital attempting to overhaul the playing squad with an array of exciting young talent.
Things haven't quite worked out, however, with the Blues sat 9th in the Premier League following a 12th-place finish last term. While Mauricio Pochettino's arrival at Stamford Bridge has brought more positivity, the results are yet to come.
But transfer expert Fabrizio Romano believes that Chelsea have proven over the last few years that they're "smart" in the transfer market, especially when it comes to cashing in on players at the correct moment.
“I think it’s been part of Chelsea’s model – they’ve done some smart business by signing many players, many young talents, sending them on loan and then selling at the right moment,” Romano said.
“Even last summer I think they did excellent job with the outgoings, bringing in good fees for players like Mason Mount and Kai Havertz – and it was absolutely needed from a technical and financial point of view.
“Another example is Eden Hazard, who was a wonderful player who they sold at exactly the right moment, this was something smart, even if it was not easy to lose a star like Hazard.”
As well as the aforementioned trio, Chelsea have also proven in other instances that they're a club capable of letting players go when needed. Fikayo Tomori, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham are all examples of this model in action, something that Romano sees as a positive despite their vast spending.
Plenty more departures are expected at Stamford Bridge over the next couple of windows, too, as Chelsea look to clear out players who have failed to perform under the new ownership.
Academy graduates, such as Conor Gallagher, are also at risk, though. Representing pure profit on the balance sheet, sales of youth products will enable the Blues to make even more signings in the future.
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