Two years on from splashing the money on the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke – amongst others – within the January switch window, Chelsea took a much more measured strategy this time round, amid what was a comparatively muted deadline day for the Blues.
Certainly, a lot of the late exercise centred round outgoings, with the exiled Ben Chilwell looking for out common recreation time on mortgage at Crystal Palace, whereas additional non permanent strikes have been secured for the likes of Carney Chukwuemeka, Joao Felix and Axel Disasi – the latter trio becoming a member of Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and Aston Villa, respectively.
Whereas there could also be concern at not shifting to exchange these wantaway stars, with the west Londoners nonetheless competing within the FA Cup, Convention League and Premier League, the 2-1 win over West Ham United on Monday night time has actually helped to carry the temper amid what has been a testing final month or so for Enzo Maresca‘s facet.
That comeback victory has moved the Blues again into the highest 4 amid the heated race for Champions League soccer, whereas additional positivity might be discovered within the solitary piece of enterprise that the membership did do on deadline day, following the seize of highly-rated teenager, Mathis Amougou.
Why Chelsea signed Mathis Amougou
Reportedly becoming a member of from Saint-Etienne for a price within the area of £10m, the 19-year-old has helped to bolster a key space for Maresca and co, with Chelsea’s midfield choices having been considerably depleted amid the continued harm woes of an unlucky Romeo Lavia.
Whereas there have been stories that the membership have been contemplating recalling Andrey Santos from his gorgeous mortgage stint at Strasbourg – the place he has scored eight occasions already in 2024/25 – the Blues as a substitute opted to hunt out one other star of Ligue 1, with Amougou becoming a member of on a budget as the newest addition from France.
Signings of the likes Disasi and Benoit Badiashile from Ligue 1 could also be motive for concern – with Disasi now on the books at Villa amid his Stamford Bridge woes – but the hope will likely be that Amougou can buck the pattern, having been hailed as a “actually thrilling midfield expertise” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
After having fun with a “stellar” first season in senior top-flight soccer, in keeping with Mattinson, the midfield machine will likely be looking for to proceed that momentum on the Bridge, tussling for a backup position behind the beginning pair of Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.
Whereas Maresca is not precisely blessed with depth in that division, the signing of Amougou may show the ultimate straw for one forgotten expertise, with that late deal having maybe shifted a sure Kiernan Dewsbury-Corridor even additional down the pecking order.
How Amougou’s signing may affect the Chelsea squad
The occasions of deadline day have maybe shone a light-weight on Chelsea’s summer time dealings, with the choice to deliver former loanee Felix again to the membership nonetheless a head-scratching one. Signed on a £46.3m deal from Atletico Madrid, the Portuguese wizard has already sought out pastures information, albeit briefly, after simply six months again in England.
Maybe the identical might be stated of the Blues’ transfer to reunite Maresca with the star of his title-winning Leicester Metropolis facet within the Championship, with Dewsbury-Corridor arriving on a £30m deal, after contributing 27 targets and assists beneath the Italian final season.
With the brand new boss having appeared to instil new strategies on the Bridge, the assumption was that recruiting a well-recognized face can be excellent for the duty. Certainly, pundit Adrian Clarke even urged that the Englishman may ‘lead [the] Maresca revolution at Chelsea‘.
Quick ahead simply over half a season, nevertheless, and the previous Foxes star is now largely a bystander to proceedings, having began only one Premier League recreation in 2024/25 up to now.
Whereas he did register an help on that solitary begin in opposition to Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 25-year-old appears to be like destined for all times within the ‘B’ group, with a lot of his motion having come within the Convention League, the place he scored twice in six group video games.
|
Amougou vs Dewsbury-Corridor – League stats (24/25) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
||
|
Video games |
17 |
6 |
|
Objectives |
0 |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
1 |
|
Large probabilities created |
0 |
1 |
|
Key passes* |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
Move accuracy* |
78% |
88% |
|
Tackles* |
1.2 |
0.3 |
|
Interceptions* |
0.7 |
0.2 |
|
Complete duels received* |
46% |
36% |
|
Possession misplaced* |
6.4 |
3.0 |
|
Stats by way of Sofascore (*per recreation) |
||
As author Zach Lowy has poetically put it, Dewsbury-Corridor is a “sturdy contender for probably the most pointless signings of 2024”, with it having been no shock that hypothesis was rife over an early exit throughout the winter window.
No such transfer occurred ultimately, but with Amougou within the door, Dewsbury-Corridor’s days look numbered. There may be actually a participant in there, as he showcased in 2023/24 on the King Energy, however fairly whether or not he’ll ever get to showcase these abilities at Chelsea stays to be seen.
A swift summer time exit, in fact, appears to be like all however sure…
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Chelsea secured three very important factors in opposition to West Ham United final night time, taking them again into the highest 4.
