SINCE JOSE MOURINHO took over at Chelsea for a second stint in charge, there have been plenty of ins and outs. And plenty of hits and misses.
Pedro is the latest name to arrive amid much fanfare but should he be a little concerned with the frenzied approach the club has taken to transfer dealings in recent seasons?
In Mourinho’s two full seasons, there have been a number of lavish signings. Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas, Willian and Nemanja Matic have all effortlessly slotted in and proved intelligent additions. Others, like Kurt Zouma and Loic Remy have performed admirably when called upon. But there’s plenty of scar tissue also.
Felipe Luis was signed for £22 million and lasted one season under Mourinho. Andre Schurrle cost £15.7 million and was gone within eighteen months. Mohamed Salah was brought in from FC Basel for £11.7 million but was on loan at Fiorentina within a year. He’s now at Roma on another temporary deal but looks set to permanently move from Chelsea sooner rather than later.
With Pedro’s capture, Juan Cuadrado looks increasingly likely to leave the club after six months. He cost £22.1 million and has made four starts for Chelsea.
Other names have flown under the radar but rarely got a chance to impress. Marco van Ginkel suffered a cruciate ligament injury shortly after arriving but since returning, he’s been farmed out on loan too – firstly to AC Milan before joining up with Stoke City in the summer.
Christian Atsu arrived from Porto in the summer of 2013 and is still to play a game for Chelsea in two years. He’s been at Vitesse and Everton on loan before linking up with Bournemouth earlier this summer.
Mourinho has been, perhaps unsurprisingly, callous and ruthless with those who were brought to the club by his predecessors. Juan Mata, David Luiz and Romelu Lukaku were the most high-profile victims though Kevin de Bruyne is another example of Mourinho having little interest in allowing players develop under his command. He wants finished-articles, proven products that can hit the ground running. And if players can’t do that, they’re of little use to him and quickly discarded.
The dalliances have all been fleeting, Mourinho changing his mind quickly about players the club have tracked for a while. What does that say about the recruitment strategy and who’s making the final decisions?
There are some reports speculating the Pedro deal was an Abramovich idea and that Mourinho had his reservations about the signing. Another more-accepted and likely version of events has board member and the club’s ‘transfer fixer’ Marina Granovskaia playing a leading role in persuading the 28-year-old to make the switch to Stamford Bridge, though it remains to be seen just how Mourinho will make things work with his new arrival.
His preferred 4-2-3-1 formation usually has a attacking trio of Willian, Oscar and Hazard while Cuadrado has been in reserve alongside Victor Moses. Pedro, surely promised a starting role by the club during conversations, is likely to slot in on the right side, taking Willian’s place. But the Brazilian cost £25 million just two years ago when Mourinho signed him. Will he be happy to drop to the bench permanently? Probably not and Pedro’s signing will surely lead to one or two departures in the short-term, starting with Cuadrado.
http://vine.co/v/eDhWHvJTepP
With Chelsea’s season having started so differently this time around and with a number of irritating off-field issues overshadowing so much of the season’s opening, all is not well at the club. Much has been written in recent days about Mourinho’s three-year itch and how during his first stint in London and his time in Madrid he floundered amid much acrimony and finger-pointing. Both of those dramatic exits came after three years, both clubs seemingly losing patience with the way he wants things.
So, added to the relatively frantic transfer policy of recent seasons, Pedro may have walked into a casual breeze that could yet turn into a hurricane.
Cheap for his quality can’t go wrong signing him..
A new wheel for the bus
second only to city last season for PL goals scored and top of all the English teams for goals scored in all competitions. it must be a pretty attacking bus!
Oh I never said it wasn’t a nice bus. It’s a very effective bus.
Never heard that one.
He chose the best option, wouldn’t win anything with United
Nor with your Aresnal.
Sanchez > 5 pedro’s
Alex ox Chamberlin > depay. My Persian opinion ox has more potential
The OX he can’t even make the England team haha Does he even start for Arsenal?
Chamberlain is unbelievable. I remember a few seasons ago United couldn’t handle his pace and skill. He is better than any young winger in the PL, with way more ability and experience than Depay or Sterling
On occasions he starts, we’re overrun with talent in that area so it hard to get a look in. When he does come on or start he is unplayable. Arsenals future
Overrun with talent yeah haha did he get rested against West Ham then?
So he a good game a few years back against United.. Must be Arsenal best player then..
He is quality in every match he plays, and doesn’t turn into a bitch when he is used as a sub. Great attitude, great work rate, fantastic talent and an overall top lad that’s down to earth.
You slate him because he doesn’t play for the team you support. If he was fit and played against Ireland in the English friendly instead of Sterling we would have been tanked
I think he’s a fantastic player but isn’t being given the opportunities
Very highly thought off so.. Do u think Arsenal will be able to keep hold of him? That Southampton academy is amazing to be fair..
Of course we will hold onto him. Sure United is shite these days, and Chelsea and City don’t value young players, they only destroy them with money
Aresnal are currently below United in the table. What’s that I hear, no comeback? I win.
Arsenal are above United, nice try though
And we’ve played two of the best teams already
Ya Sean he was , what year was that though , 18 , 19 or 20th title year.
What are you smoking Sean? United have 6 points, Arsenal have 3. Ye have played West Ham and Crystal palace.
Big step up for you this year, 4th class is tough. Make sure you get a uniform about 2 sizes too big if you want it to last the year.
I’m not sure Chelsea needed him but probably took a bargain when it became available.