Chelsea signed Mykhailo Mudryk in dramatic fashion over the weekend, completing a deal worth an initial £60million with the possibility of rising as high as £88million. The Ukraine international joined the Blues from Shakhtar Donestk on an eight-and-a-half-year contract to continue the club's busy January.
The west London side have also added Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile and David Datro Fofana in January. The latter two have joined in similar deals until 2030 and 2029 respectively.
It has been a common feature of Chelsea's dealings since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over the club, with the hierarchy unafraid to spend big and commit to long contracts. Many have been perplexed by Chelsea's ability to spend so lavishly having recorded spending in excess of £400million since the summer, with little sign of slowing down.
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The contract lengths certainly provide the Blues with some long-term security but also allow Chelsea to amortise significant fees over the duration of long contracts to aid their ability to fall within Financial Fair Play constraints.
Long-term commitments have also been made to current players in the shape of Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James. An element of security is provided particularly for any young player who could develop successfully, an Chelsea will be in a strong position for any negotiations.
However, it may not be a blanket solution for all contracts moving forwards. Mason Mount's deal has been spoken about for a considerable time with it identified early, along with James, as being a priority for the new owners. Given his development through the youth set-up, there was an indication he had perhaps been undervalued previously and there was a sense a new deal could place him in a position more befitting of his contributions in recent seasons.
That has obviously yet to come to fruition. Chelsea's current form may even give an additional pause for thought. With the club in 10th place in the Premier League and facing a battle for European competition at all, never mind the Champions League, it would be easy to acknowledge that a player may not want to commit for such a long term.
Tottenham have previously shown the strength of having a deal by denying Harry Kane the possibility of moving to Manchester City, and there will certainly be a consideration in the power dynamic between player and club. There is no indication Mount wants to look elsewhere of course, but Champions League football will likely remain significant for the rest of his career.
Levi Colwill was in attendance at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, following a stellar performance versus Liverpool for Brighton, sparking speculation that discussions over a new contract could be pending. Colwill's current deal runs until 2025 and given the prospects of the 19-year-old, it seems likely that lengthy terms will be offered.
However, there is a great deal of unknown for Colwill, and it remains to be seen whether long-term plans match up with short-term goals. Chelsea have already added Benoit Badiashile this month, a young defender who also favours operating on the left side, though that by no means rules Colwill out of being an active part of Graham Potter's squad next season.
Either way, Colwill will only be able to operate on assurances that the Blues offer, and he alone will be able to decide whether they alone warrant his commitment. He may prefer a shorter-term deal to see how things play out first and to ensure he has the freedom to succeed whether that be at Chelsea or elsewhere.
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