Sport

Biggest losers of Chelsea’s transfer window

Transfer deadline day can often be an overrated affair, with situations exaggerated for dramatic effect. But in the case of Hakim Ziyech’s failed move from Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain, there was nothing that needed to be added to make it more extraordinary than the truth.

Chelsea’s spending under the ownership of the Todd Boehly’s consortium has been legendary in its indulgence. In just two transfer windows, they have spent north of £600m on a host of new players, including more than half that on nine arrivals in January.

Nobody can doubt the quality of those signings, but they are so great in number that nothing is guaranteed for any one of them. Benoit Basiashile, an exciting young French centre back who has made a consistent and solid start to life at Stamford Bridge, will have to come to terms with not being named in the Blues’ 25-man squad for the Champions League. Wesley Fofana, who joined from Leicester for £75m in the summer before getting injured has been selected instead.

So if new signings are being left out of squads, what chance have the existing squad members they are coming in to compete with or even replace got of any game time? While Chelsea were focussing on their final and biggest signing of the winter window, the £107m capture of Benfica and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, external eyes were intrigued by the exit door and who may go through it. That is where Ziyech comes in.

Jorginho’s £12m switch to Arsenal was confirmed while the Moroccan headed to Paris ready to join PSG. But Chelsea were reportedly not as proactive as they needed to be to get the deal done. Between not sending the relevant documents quickly enough and sending the wrong ones, they riled PSG who said Chelsea will not ‘darken their door’ with future business.

But Ziyech is the biggest loser here. He was said to be frantically texting Boehly in a bid to sort things to no avail, and was forced to return to London facing up to the prospect of months on the periphery, despite playing regularly under manager Graham Potter.

Amazingly, though, he started the goalless draw with Fulham last week. As far as mixed signals though, all but agreeing to a departure of a player and then starting them three days later is textbook. But with Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling and other big names likely to be vying for the same spots in the team, you sense his task to keep his place will only get tougher.

At 30, Ziyech is at a key crossroads in his career. He has to play, and he deserves to play. His arrival from Ajax in 2019 was rather understated compared to that of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, but there is an argument to say he is their most successful purchase from that summer. There certainly is no doubt one his talent and quality, and when a clear out at Chelsea was first mooted, his name was mentioned a lot in gossip columns and newspapers, because he would instantly improve a lot of teams, including a few of Chelsea’s main rivals. He has every right to be frustrated and wasn’t treated with the respect he deserves.

Another player who may feel he is in a similar boat is Conor Gallagher. Like Ziyech, the list of interested parties were he to become available. He impressed immensely on loan at Crystal Palace last season, and would certainly make an impact anywhere he went.

He, too, has not been ostracised by Potter, but given the nature of his career to date, with two Premier League loans to his name already, he needs regular game time at a club where he can build something and fulfil his potential. While Potter is the ideal manager for him to work under given his preference for long-term development and vision, that jars directly with the environment at Chelsea. The change of ownership may alter the need for instant gratification, Boehly has certainly acted in a way to suggest that, but with so much money spent, it is difficult to imagine Gallagher will get the opportunities he needs.

There has been a lot of talk about incomings at Chelsea and the excitement of the future, but there will be challenges along the way in terms of keeping players happy. Ziyech and Gallagher perhaps embody that best.