Chelsea has spent more than $350 million this summer. The $156 million fee for former Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers makes him the most expensive Chelsea signing in history and the second-most expensive player in Premier League history after the club beat Inter Milan and Arsenal to the deal. This purchase follows a pattern of targeting young talent with high resale potential. The club values 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegovic at $41 million. These signings, including Marco Palestra, Maxence Lacroix, and Geovany Quenda, follow the club’s 10th place finish last season. The ownership has spent $2.3 billion since 2022. Chelsea also targeted Pep Chavarria and Alex Scott, though the latter was rejected by Bournemouth. The club must still manage a 25-man squad limit and 17 non-homegrown player rule. This recruitment strategy relies on amortization, where the club spreads transfer fees over the length of a contract. However, UEFA now limits this spreading to a five-year period. The club has previously used long contracts to manage costs, such as the eight-and-a-half-year deal for Mykhailo Mudryk.
The squad remains large.
Defensive instability and tactical shifts
The defense conceded 12 goals during the pre-season tour. Xabi Alonso took over after Enzo Maresca left on New Year’s Day. Maresca’s squad finished 10th in the Premier League. The team made 41 errors leading to a shot. They also made 18 errors leading to a goal. These figures rank third in the Premier League. Alonso faces pressure. He must manage a defense that lacked stability. Maresca made 25 changes to his back four in 19 Premier League matches. The manager started seven unique back fours during the 2025/26 season. The squad conceded 63 goals last season. This was the ninth-most in the division. The defense struggled with transitions and communication. In the 2024/25 season, the team also ranked 12th highest for PPDA. Alonso needs to implement his preferred back-three system with attacking wingbacks. This requires players like Palestra and Quenda to provide width.
A crowded roster and forced departures
The squad includes 44 players. You know the roster size is excessive. The club wants to trim this group to avoid wage bill issues. They placed a $120 million valuation on Enzo Fernandez. They also set a £75 million price tag on Malo Gusto. The club sold Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid for £38 million. Marc Cucurella moved to Real Madrid. Andrey Santos joined Manchester United. A nine-month ban on recruiting domestic academy players affects the club. The squad remains bloated. The club also holds a £65 million valuation on Nicolas Jackson. Other players for sale include Axel Disasi at £25 million and Benoit Badiashile at £30 million. Trevoh Chalobah faces interest from Como after a $35 million offer arrived. Marc Guiu and David Fofana are also available for loan. Players like Aaron Anselmino and Datro Fofana have also returned from loan.
The struggle against low blocks
Chelsea struggled against low blocks last season. Every attacker had an aerial duel win rate below 50%. This lack of physical presence made it hard to score when defenses sat deep. The club signed Liam Delap to provide a more traditional presence in the box. They also brought in Jamie Gittens to improve dribbling on the wings. These moves aim to fix the issues that hampered the team last year. Chelsea averaged 1.14 non-penalty expected goals per match during certain stretches. They need players who can score from crosses. The squad includes Mykhailo Mudryk, who returns after a suspension for a positive test for meldonium. Raheem Sterling faces a battle to reclaim his place. Christopher Nkunku remains a key option, though he often plays a different role than Nicolas Jackson. The club must manage these many attacking talents. Can Alonso find the stability the club needs?