Roman Abramovich’s Chelski on a shopping spree again
Stamford Bridge is the ultimate billionaire's playground as
the Russian oligarch handpicks players from across Europe's talent spectrum at
will, whether his manager likes it or not.
As clubs prepare to tighten their belts to cope with the
post-coronavirus world, Abramovich continues to let it all hang out.
In west London, the streets are seemingly still paved with
gold.
The initial £89 million (S$157m) banked from Eden Hazard's
move to Real Madrid barely 12 months ago is already being spent with Ajax
Amsterdam winger Hakim Ziyech enlisted for the Blues' new revolution and Timo
Werner, RB Leipzig's free-scoring marksman, joining him imminently.
Others promise to follow in the weeks and months ahead with
each day bringing a fresh litany of targets. Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, Gerson
and Ben Chilwell are the names currently widely touted for summer switches to
the English capital's current hotbed of spending.
Frank Lampard may want for nothing with the expected influx
of players set to strengthen his club's hopes of recapturing the English
Premier League title and assorted major honours next season.
If his paymaster has anything to do with it, he may also
receive more than he actually bargained for. All apart from the homegrown duo
of Rice and Chilwell carry a distinct whiff of Abramovich's ideology.
His penchant for signing players on reputation over reality
is well-documented.
Driven by Lampard's appointment, this season was supposed to
constitute Chelsea's shift away from those previous missteps. Youth prospects
were due to be handed the spotlight, instead of continuing to play second
fiddle to more big names parachuted in on eye-watering price tags. So much for
that brave new world.
Abramovich famously did not speak with Lampard before last
summer's homecoming. He should have known to expect nothing less after 11 years
under Chelsea's owner as a player.
Lampard will, however, need to get used to transfer
decisions being taken out of his hands.
His predecessor Maurizio Sarri made no secret of personal
frustration that Christian Pulisic's £58m transfer from Borussia Dortmund in
January 2019 had been sanctioned without his input.
The Italian was not allowed to stick around long enough to
utilise the American's qualities.
Other former Chelsea managers were forced to shoehorn
marquee signings that failed to fit seamlessly into their respective blueprints
for success to catastrophic effect.
Both Andriy Shevchenko and Fernando Torres moved to London
when their respective careers had become faded glories. The cumulative £80.8m
gamble on two players previously regarded as Europe's foremost lethal strikers
backfired spectacularly.
Others destined for stardom were similarly chewed up and
spat out by the endless churn of Abramovich's money machine.
Kevin de Bruyne arrived with all the attributes to elevate
him to the EPL's new poster boy, yet had to join Manchester City in order to realise
that potential.
Chelsea's latest raft of prospective arrivals will see
skyrocketing valuations go hand in hand with heightened expectations for
Lampard to deliver major success almost instantaneously.
Such demands are unrealistic with a side which will be in
the throes of widespread upheaval.
The ex-England international's strength of personality
earned him a dream job in management. Reluctantly, he will need to allow
Abramovich to continue paying the price rather than himself.
Comments
Post a Comment