Chelsea’s pursuit of two of the best young talents in Europe is part of a mantra from their new owners to give people they believe in what they want.
Their academy was already being overhauled by its boss Neil Bath as part of a ‘Vision 2030’ strategy and the club is now signing players for the future who he has recommended.
Carney Chukwuemeka will become the highest-paid teenager in English football, laying down a marker for the club’s strength and strategy.
The 18-year-old, Gabriel Slonina and Omari Hutchinson have been sold a pathway into the first team, with sources indicating there will be more similar expensive youth signings.
Chelsea want to follow their move for Chukwuemeka with the signing of Inter Milan teenager Cesare Casadei as part of a succession plan to replace N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.
It is all part of a strategy to create a teenage team below the first team that can step in and plug gaps when needed. There will be more of an English focus after Brexit, although overseas players are still being targeted after their 18th birthday.
With more than £50million expected to be spent on youth this summer and up to £200m on first-team signings, this window could surpass most of former owner Roman Abramovich’s biggest transfer splurges.
Still, it feels like a chaotic start under the Boehly-Clearlake consortium, which intends to back Bath, men’s manager Thomas Tuchel, and women’s coach Emma Hayes.
That chaos has been born out of circumstance but the owners hope to be more considered once settled in.
Tuchel has reluctantly been given a greater role on transfers this summer, but the possible hiring of former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards would be very welcomed.
