Jamie Carragher's verdict on Chelsea's 'baffling' transfer spend in excess of £300 million should serve as a riposte to critics who still believe Newcastle United's revival is solely down to money. The Blues sit tenth in the table following a defeat against Manchester City on Thursday night, with Graham Potter enduring a tough start to life at Stamford Bridge.
New Blues owner Todd Boehly splashed the cash in the summer transfer market, bringing in the likes of Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, and Raheem Sterling. Potter has already received further backing in January, with a deal now confirmed for young AS Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile.
However, Chelsea currently sit 10 points adrift of Newcastle and suffered defeat at St James' Park in their final Premier League fixture before the World Cup break. Eddie Howe's side preserved their unbeaten run with a hard-fought draw at league leaders Arsenal in their latest outing, with some suggesting the Magpies are now in the title race.
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Newcastle's rapid rise from relegation favourites to potential Premier League contenders has inevitably led some to suggest it is largely down to money. Howe has been backed in excess of £200m across two windows, with emerging superstars Sven Botman and Bruno Guimaraes supplemented by proven top-flight performers.
Carragher recently named Howe as his Premier League manager of the year, insisting Newcastle's rise was a 'triumph of coaching' rather than a 'financial revolution'. The Liverpool legend's latest verdict on Chelsea's struggles provides the latest riposte to any lingering critics of the Magpies own spending.
Carragher told Sky Sports: "You're talking about a club [Chelsea] which has right now spent over £300 million on the team that they had last season. We're talking about them not bringing in winners, or not bringing in the right players.
"I thought Chelsea were in a great position with Thomas Tuchel, they won the Champions League and got to I think every cup final they could have possibly got to. He finished third behind the two best teams in the world, in the last two or three years I think it's fair to describe Liverpool and Manchester City as that.
"I remember how they played against Liverpool in the last two cup finals, and I think they weren't far away. To then spend £300m and almost be further away now, it's just baffling."
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