Chelsea were the biggest spenders in Europe's top five leagues during the summer transfer window, spending more than £240m on new signings under Todd Boehly's new ownership.
The Blues reinforced their squad across the pitch, bringing in three new first-team defenders, two news attackers and a deadline-day loan signing in midfield. This is alongside moving on a host of underperforming squad players and investing heavily into the youth set-up and women's side.
Despite all this, former Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris doesn't think any of it is the best piece of business this summer.
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Boehly has not only had to do the work of several transfer windows in one spell, but he has also been the main body behind the work. Acting in an interim sporting director role and is still trying to restructure the internal workings of the club at the same time.
Some of these changes include adding a permanent director of football and ensuring a longer-term plan at SW6. On his list after taking over towards the end of last season was also to reward the top performers at the club, reworking the wage structure too.
This has been a quick move to give star players Reece James and Mason Mount a new contract. The duo have been amongst the best players across the last two seasons and, having come from the academy, have been on much smaller deals than incoming transfers that haven't worked out.
It's a promise that Morris, who was assistant manager alongside Frank Lampard from 2019-2021, is a big advocate for. "It looks like the manager and the owners are working in tandem, and that's important going forward," Morris told the PA news agency. "The new owners are backing the manager, and that's big, especially with some big and important signings coming through the door.
"But when you're looking at the two most important signings, for me, it would have to be seeing Mason Mount and Reece James tied down to new long-term deals. They are the first names on the team sheet, and they need to be tied down, and I think that's got to be what they are looking at next."
James, who has possibly been Tuchel's best player this season, is set to become the highest-earning defender in the club's history with a contract that would keep him at Stamford Bridge past 2025 - the current expiry date for his deal. Mason Mount is also being considered a candidate for a new contract, with his expiring a year earlier than James, in 2024. Edouard Mendy is another player that the club wants to tie down.
That comes after Armando Broja signed his deal after a summer of speculation until 2028. Wesley Fofana's long-term deal will keep him in west London until then, and Morris is a big fan of the Frenchman, too. "Fofana's a really good signing, and one for the future as well as now," Morris said. Thomas Tuchel was looking for extra reassurance in the defensive area.
"I remember going up against Leicester when we were at Chelsea and Brendan Rodgers saying to me then, 'this kid's going to be unbelievable.' He really saw him as one for the future. The fact he's come back after his injury and performed at the level he was at before is a good sign for Chelsea, and a good sign going forward."
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