Pupil Maresca from Pep School is tasked with deciphering Chelsea's billion-dollar enigma.
In the spring of 2022, just a year after their Champions League victory, Todd Boehly takes control of FC Chelsea. Two rough years later, not many club officials or sports analysts can accurately count the number of players in Chelsea's squad. A protege of Pep Guardiola is expected to bring success back amidst the confusion.
Tracking the squad's changes is a challenge. It's hard to know who Chelsea is buying, selling, or lending out at any given moment. As of a recent check, 42 players had valid contracts with the Premier League club. Some sources claim there are 43, but João Félix, who is set to join from Atlético Madrid for €50 million, doesn't fit into that number.
Chelsea FC itself keeps its own count. Their website lists 33 players for the first team and 11 more on loan, making a total of 44. This includes a staggering 10 goalkeepers. But notable absentees are Kepa Arrizabalaga and Romelu Lukaku.
"Where will he fit in?"
Images of Chelsea's crowded gym are circulating online, sparking jokes about the massive squad. A four-story team bus or a team meeting where players are stacked like human pyramids are common memes. Former English international and TV pundit Jamie Carragher asks, "If João Félix comes in too, where will he fit in?" And he emphasizes: "I'm being completely serious."
The squad's chaos is courtesy of Todd Boehly. He's already the majority owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Lakers, and leads the consortium Clearlake, which has owned Chelsea FC since 2022. Since then, Boehly seems to have randomly signed 39 players for a total of over €1.3 billion. In the process, he's gone through 5 managers, with Thomas Tuchel being the first to go after winning the Champions League.
Only one pre-season win
Alongside the chaotic squad management, Chelsea's performance on the pitch has been disappointing lately. Former managers like José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Thomas Tuchel have rarely experienced such low rankings. The 22/23 season ended in a disastrous 12th place. The previous year, they managed to salvage 6th place, but manager Mauricio Pochettino still had to leave.
New manager Enzo Maresca, who joined around €12 million from Premier League newcomers Leicester City after Pochettino's departure, is now dealing with this XL squad. Maresca brought hope at the start of his tenure in London's player pool, but the pre-season has already left a bitter taste. A 2-2 draw against third-tier AFC Wrexham and a 1-4 loss against Celtic Glasgow happened. In pre-season, Chelsea won only one game - a 3-0 victory against Mexican side CF América.
Besides aiming for sporting success, Maresca also has to manage the oversized squad, leading to challenging decisions. In the 0:2 season opener against Manchester City, where he previously assisted Pep Guardiola, Maresca didn't even include national team player Raheem Sterling in the matchday squad. Goalkeepers Kepa (previously loaned to Real Madrid) and Lukaku (previously loaned to Inter Milan), as well as Axel Disasi (signed from Monaco for €45 million in 2023), could also be on their way out.
On the incoming side, there's no end in sight. Chelsea has already signed 9 players this summer, with Felix potentially being the 10th. He is reportedly set to sign a 6-year contract with an additional year option. He wouldn't be the only one with such a long contract. Cole Palmer, last season's Premier League Young Player of the Year, recently extended his contract until 2033. A total of 17 players in the squad have contracts running until at least 2030.
"Chelsea needs to stop signing players, and players need to stop signing for Chelsea," former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher suggests, also expressing amazement at players signing 7-year contracts. From Boehly's perspective, long-term contracts make sense as they allow him to distribute salaries over years and sell players if their wages become too high.
Amidst the squad's chaos, it's been speculated that the arrival of João Félix from Atlético Madrid will further complicate the team's player distribution. When asked about Félix's potential fit, former English international Jamie Carragher expressed genuine concern, stating, "I'm being completely serious."
The current state of Chelsea's squad can be seen as a result of the club's focus on Spanish players. Since taking control, new owner Todd Boehly has signed several players from Spain, including Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcos Alonso, and Hakim Ziyech, all of whom have played at least a part of their careers in La Liga.
