Todd Boehly has made no secret of his desire to focus intensely on developing Chelsea's youth system since taking over the club in May 2022.
The American billionaire, who bought the club from Roman Abramovich last year, made his intention clear straight away after walking through the door at Stamford Bridge. Boehly said: "Along with our commitment to developing the youth squad and acquiring the best talent, our plan of action is to invest in the club for the long-term and build on Chelsea's remarkable history of success."
Boehly has even mentioned his plans to develop a multi-club system, but not with the sole intention of building a brand for themselves like other outfits across Europe have done. The American wants a model that would manage and help the development of talented young players.
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His actions have backed his words up, too. The Chelsea co-owner has spent over £500million on 18 new signings in his two transfer windows in west London. The amount he has spent has been ridiculed by many, but 12 of those 18 new players are 22 or younger.
Chelsea's focus on youth:
Carney Chukwuemeka (18-years-old from Aston Villa)
Andrey Santos (18-years-old from Vasco da Gama)
Gabriel Slonina (18-years-old from Chicago Fire)
Malo Gusto (19-years-old from Lyon)
Omari Hutchinson (19-years-old from Arsenal)
Cesare Casadei (20-years-old from Inter Milan)
David Datro Fofana (20-years-old from Molde)
Noni Madueke (20-years-old from PSV Eindhoven)
Wesley Fofana (21-years-old from Leicester City)
Benoit Badiashile (21-years-old from AS Monaco)
Mykhailo Mudryk (22-years-old from Shakhtar Donetsk)
Enzo Fernandez (22-years-old from Benfica)
Chelsea's three new signings
Boehly will spend millions in the summer transfer window once again in a few months' time. Of that, there seems to be no doubt whatsoever. But the American's transfer strategy since taking over the club will give Chelsea a head-start in the window.
In the January transfer window, days of intense negotiations with Lyon ended in Chelsea finally agreeing a deal to sign talented young right-back Malo Gusto. Lyon were determined to keep hold of the 19-year-old but eventually compromised with the Blues, agreeing they would keep him on loan until the end of the current season before he moved to Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis in the summer.
Gusto, who is a natural right-back, is expected to come in and provide some much-needed cover for Reece James, who has struggled with injury problems in recent seasons. There have been numerous occasions this season that James has been absent from the side and Graham Potter has ended up either playing Cesar Azpilicueta there or even midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, whose versatility has helped the side.
However, with Gusto set to arrive, Chelsea's situation at right-back looks to be all but sorted for the foreseeable future. There's genuine belief within the Blues camp that Gusto can go on to become one of the world's best full-backs in the future.
Likewise, Andrey Santos was signed in January but returned to Brazilian club Vasco da Gama until the end of the season. The 18-year-old sensation is very much seen as someone for the future at Chelsea and the club are expected to monitor his situation when he arrives for pre-season in the summer.
Santos is still so young and may be deprived of game-time at Stamford Bridge should he stay, so Potter may be tempted to loan him out elsewhere in order to continue his development. Alternatively, he could be seen as a handy squad option for the Chelsea head coach in what is expected to be another hectic season for the Blues.
Not a new signing, but someone who will feel like one: Levi Colwill. The 20-year-old has spent the season on loan with Brighton & Hove Albion. He was actually signed by Potter at the beginning of the campaign when the former Seagulls boss was down on the south coast.
It's understood Chelsea still very much see Colwill as part of their plans in the future and they have been very impressed with what they have seen this season from the defender. He recently revealed that Chelsea have been in regular contact with him to reassure him over his future in west London.
"They [Chelsea] always keep in touch, tell me to keep working hard, good things come to those who wait," the Blues loanee told The Athletic in November. "I'm gaining things here that I wouldn't gain anywhere else, so I can't complain."
Colwill is expected to return to Chelsea in the summer that casts doubt over the future of the likes of Trevoh Chalobah who seems to be a bit-part player under Potter right now. The Blues have an array of centre-back options and football.london understands the club remain interested in Josko Gvardiol ahead of the summer transfer window.
These three all returning/arriving at the club will hand Chelsea and Potter a huge boost going into the new season. The 2023/24 campaign is expected to be a really competitive one for the Blues who will be desperate for a drastic improvement on the current season.
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