Chelsea are set to confirm the signing of Joao Felix and add another high-profile player to their ever-growing squad. And the apparent reason for the transfer will add further fuel to the club’s many critics.
Conor Gallagher, despite his influence at Stamford Bridge last season, is on the verge of a move in the opposite direction, with a five-year deal at Atletico Madrid agreed. That transfer had been in doubt after a proposed deal for Chelsea to sign Atletico forward Samu Omorodion fell through.
The Spanish club reportedly needed extra funds to go ahead with the signing of Gallagher, having spent £81.5 million on Julian Alvarez from Manchester City. And the sale of Omorodion to Chelsea would have facilitated Gallagher’s move.
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But Chelsea, clearly determined to sell their English midfielder and take the pure profit on offer, have now gone in for a different Atletico player: Felix. While Felix could well be a strong addition - he showed glimpses of his quality during his loan spell at Stamford Bridge in 2023 - supporters might baulk at the idea of transfer business that seems to be an attempt to manipulate Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Chelsea are, of course, not short of attackers too. Pedro Neto arrived from Wolves earlier this month and the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Raheem Sterling are among Enzo Maresca’s attacking options.
There has been an inevitable backlash to a signing that seems superfluous. Jamie Carragher, speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, said: "Chelsea have just got to stop buying players, and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea. If I was a player, I'd think 'why would I sign?'.
"The only reason you would sign is because your agent might say, 'we're getting a seven-year deal on big money, that's guaranteed money for seven years.
"You know what I would say? Back yourself, sign a four-year deal at a proper club. When you're due for renewal, your money goes up anyway.
"It's not a young and exciting team. They've bought Joao Felix, where's he going to play? They signed Pedro Neto a week ago, where's he going to play when you've got Cole Palmer already?”
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