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Here is why Chelsea is the transfer king of 2023

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Chelsea FC is definitely one side that has been in the news, and here is why we think they are the kings of the transfer window in 2023.

Although the summer transfer window market remains open ahead of the 2023/2024 season as of July 2023, it is a known fact that Chelsea FC has dominated it so far.

The Boehly-led era is one that was talked about from the start till the final game of the 2022/2023 season, and this can be attributed to many factors, one of which is how well and how much transfer business Chelsea completed last season and still doing this season.

I often say Todd Boehly and the entire consortium's move in the transfer window since the takeover can be attributed to me playing football manager because the amount Chelsea spent in the transfer window for 2023 alone is surreal.

How many players did Chelsea FC sign in 2023?

In the current year of 2023, Chelsea Football Club has already successfully signed 13 players. During the transfer window for the 2022/2023 season, which took place in January 2023, seven players were signed permanently. Additionally, Joao Felix joined the team on loan from Atletico Madrid, making him the eighth player to be transferred in January alone.

As the summer transfer window opened in June 2023, Chelsea completed the signing of six different players, with two out of the six joining the club for free.

How much did Chelsea spend in the 2023 transfer window?

Chelsea Transfer 2023
Graham Potter as head coach of Chelsea

In the winter transfer window market, Chelsea FC made some significant signings, which caught the attention of many football fans. The Todd Boehly-led consortium invested a massive sum of 350 million dollars in January 2023, demonstrating their support for the Graham Potter-led project. Despite the significant amount spent, the team did not perform well, leading to Graham Potter's dismissal. Frank Lampard was appointed as the caretaker until the end of the season.

Potter's failure was often blamed on the size of his squad, suggesting that it was challenging for him to choose players for each game. However, many of us disagree with this reasoning. After all, in the 2022/2023 season, Chelsea was not the only team with a squad of over 30 players.

As the summer transfer window approaches for the new season, the West London team has been cautious with their budget to avoid scrutiny from UEFA and ensure they stay within the FFP rules. Despite already spending close to 150 million dollars on young players, they continue to keep their spending under control.

How much has Chelsea made in the 2023 transfer market?

It's almost unbelievable, but Chelsea has matched the amount spent in January 2023 with the revenue gained from player sales in the summer of 2023. Thanks to the exceptional talent of the squad, Chelsea has generated over $240 million in revenue.

The sale of Jorghino in January 2023 also brought 12 million dollars into the club during the winter transfer window.

Who did Chelsea sign in the January 2023 window?

Chelsea Transfer 2023
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea during the Chelsea versus Real Madrid Champions League quarterfinal match on April 18, 2023, at Stamford Bridge in Chelsea, London, England, UK. (Photo by Shaun Brooks/Action Plus/Icon Sportswire)

From record signings to young talents, Chelsea's January 2023 transfer window was packed; the list of players that joined The Blues made them the envy of many in England. Players were convinced about the project in the window's final days, abandoning their first choice or option for Chelsea. Check out the full list of players who moved to Chelsea in January 2023.

Full list of players who moved to Chelsea in January 2023

DatePlayerClubDetails
Jan. 1, 2023Gabriel SloninaChicago Fire (USA)End of loan
January 1, 2023David FofanaMolde (Norway)€12m (£10.6m)
January 1, 2023Benoit BadiashileAS Monaco (France)€38m (£33.5m)
January 5, 2023Andrey SantosVasco da Gama€12.5m (£11m)
January 6, 2023Joao FelixAtletico Madrid (Spain)Six-month loan (€11m / £9.69m)
January 11, 2023Mykhailo MudrykShakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)7.5-year deal (€70m / £62m)
Jan. 20, 2023Noni MaduekePSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)7.5-year deal (€35m / £30m)

Many have questioned how Chelsea achieved what some consider the most significant "Talent Heist" in the history of club football. However, it later became evident that Chelsea had taken advantage of a loophole in the FFP regulations that allowed them to divide the signing fee by offering players extended contracts. For instance, by signing Mudryk, Chelsea could distribute his transfer fee over four years, meaning they did not have to record the full signing fee as an expense for that year.

Who did Chelsea sell in January 2023?

Chelsea's transfers out of the club for January 2023 were limited. Although a long list of players from the senior and junior teams went out on loan, players Jorghino and Jude Soonsup-Bell were the only stars sold by the club.

In January, Arsenal FC surprised many by bidding for Jorghino, prompting Chelsea to sell the Italian player whose contract was set to end in June 2023. Additionally, Chelsea agreed to a bid from Tottenham for Jude Soonsup-Bell, the exact amount of which was not disclosed, resulting in his departure from the club.

Who has Chelsea signed in the Summer 2023 transfer window so far?

Chelsea Transfer 2023
Christopher Nkunku at Chelsea's training ground during his unveiling

Following the confirmation of Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach of Chelsea, the club's owners have been making moves to sign top players and young talents following the massive clearout that saw a total of 12 players leave the Blues. Fans are agitated as no top player has been confirmed by the Blues.

Looking at the list of players that have left in the summer, it is only normal they are replaced with top stars or people that would be available in a better capacity.

PlayerNationalityPrevious clubFee
Diego MoreiraPortugalBenficaFree Transfer
Kendry PaezEcuadorIndependiente del Valle£17.3m
Alex MatosEnglandNorwich CityFree Transfer
Dujuan RichardsJamaicaPhoenix FC
Christopher NkunkuFranceRB Leipzig£53m
Nicolas JacksonSenegal/GuineaVillarreal£32m

Who left Chelsea in June 2023?

As the 2022/2023 club football season ended, the futures of several players at Chelsea FC became uncertain with the approaching transfer window. Some faced the situation of their contracts expiring in June 2023, while others, regardless of the remaining years on their contracts, expressed interest in leaving the club.

It's no shock that Chelsea's 2022/2023 club football season went severely, considering the squad's impressive talent, yet failed to reach the top half of the table. The most expensive transfer out of the club was Kai Havertz, the German prodigy, who Arsenal signed for a massive sum of 65 million pounds.

Mason Mount's move to Manchester United was also met with distaste amongst fans, who were shocked that an academy player forced a move to a rival.

PlayerNationalityNew ClubFee
Joao FelixPortugalAtletico MadridEnd of Loan
Denis ZakariaSwitzerlandJuventusEnd of Loan
Tiemoue BakayokoFranceReleasedFree
N'Golo KanteFranceAl IttihadFree
Cesar AzpilicuetaSpainAtletico MadridFree
Kalidou KoulibalySenegalAl Hilal£20.00m
Mateo KovacicCroatiaManchester City£25.00m
Edouard MendySenegalAl Ahli£16.00m
Ruben Loftus-CheekEngland/GuyanaAC Milan£14.00m
Kai HavertzGermanyArsenal£65.00m
Mason MountEnglandManchester United£55.00m
Dujon SterlingEnglandRangersFree
Bryan FiabemaNorwayFree
Xavier SimonsEnglandHull City

Why are Chelsea FC the transfer kings of 2023?

Chelsea FC Transfer 2023
Chelsea FC's head coach Mauricio Pochettino during his first press conference with the club.

The transfer window is still open, but credit is due to Todd Boehly and the Chelsea executives for successfully finding new clubs for the players involved in their significant clearout. It can be challenging to sell players who haven't played for other teams in a while. Some have raised concerns about Saudi Arabian clubs expressing interest in signing key players from Chelsea and have called for an investigation.

Although Chelsea has made progress, the team still lacks the necessary experience to compete at the highest level and serve as role models for younger players. The current squad only has two senior players, Thiago Silva and Kepa, and therefore, Chelsea must improve their recruitment strategy to attract players with a winning mentality.

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