In the world of football, big money often translates to big expectations, and for Chelsea F.C., the beginning of the 2022/23 season marked a significant change in ownership and spending habits. Todd Boehly, the new owner, wasted no time in splurging nearly 300 million pounds on several new players. This extravagant investment set off a chain of events that would see the club’s fortunes take a downward spiral, as Chelsea ended the season in a disappointing 12th place with 44 points, their lowest total as a Premier League club. Despite all the money spent and talent brought in, Chelsea had a dismal attack, ranking sixth worst in the league.
The new manager at the time, Thomas Tuchel, was essentially thrown in with the task of integrating these new signings into the squad. When the task proved insurmountable, Tuchel was promptly sacked. Boehly then turned to hire Brighton’s manager, Graham Potter, despite his relative inexperience with a club of Chelsea’s stature.
In January, Chelsea went on another spending spree, acquiring eight more players for over 330 million pounds, including talents like Mykhailo Mudryk, Noni Madueke and Enzo Fernandez. However, these investments failed to yield positive results. Chelsea finished the season with the 11th most points and were the sixth-lowest goal scorers in the league. After a defeat to Aston Villa, Potter was also sacked, receiving a hefty 14 million pounds in compensation.
Chelsea fans were left in despair as the club searched for a new manager to salvage the season. Many believed that Julian Nagelsmann, the former Bayern Munich coach, was the front runner for the job. However, Boehly surprised everyone by appointing Frank Lampard as caretaker, who had just been sacked by Everton F.C..
Lampard’s tenure was disastrous, with the team winning only three out of 19 games and scoring a mere 15 goals. Furthermore, Chelsea’s performance in the Champions League was no better. Boehly’s bold prediction of a 3-0 victory against Real Madrid in the first leg fell flat.
The summer transfer window saw Chelsea parting ways with several players and raking in over 267 million pounds in sales. However, they continued their spending spree by bringing in a slew of new signings, including Christopher Nkunku for 60 million pounds and Moisés Caicedo for a staggering 116 million pounds.
Chelsea’s new manager, Mauricio Pochettino, faces the daunting task of managing a squad filled with expensive talents.
