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 around outgoings, with the exiled Ben Chilwell looking for out common recreation time on mortgage at Crystal Palace, whereas additional momentary strikes had 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 transferring to switch 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 evening has actually helped to raise the temper amid what has been a testing final month or so for Enzo Maresca‘s aspect.
That comeback victory has moved the Blues back into the top four amid the heated race for Champions League soccer, whereas additional positivity may 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 fee in the region 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 damage woes of an unlucky Romeo Lavia.
Whereas there have been stories that the membership had been considering recalling Andrey Santos from his gorgeous mortgage stint at Strasbourg – the place he has scored eight times 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 purpose for concern – with Disasi now on the books at Villa amid his Stamford Bridge woes – but the hope can be that Amougou can buck the pattern, having been hailed as a “really exciting midfield talent” by analyst Ben Mattinson.
After having fun with a “stellar” first season in senior top-flight soccer, in response to Mattinson, the midfield machine can be looking for to proceed that momentum on the Bridge, tussling for a backup function 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 impression the Chelsea squad
The occasions of deadline day have maybe shone a light-weight on Chelsea’s summer time dealings, with the choice to carry 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 may be stated of the Blues’ transfer to reunite Maresca with the star of his title-winning Leicester Metropolis aspect within the Championship, with Dewsbury-Corridor arriving on a £30m deal, after contributing 27 goals and assists underneath the Italian final season.
With the brand new boss having regarded to instil new strategies on the Bridge, the assumption was that recruiting a well-recognized face could be excellent for the duty. Certainly, pundit Adrian Clarke even steered 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 started just one Premier League game in 2024/25 so far.
Whereas he did register an help on that solitary begin in opposition to Wolverhampton Wanderers, the 25-year-old seems to be 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 |
|
Targets |
0 |
0 |
|
Assists |
0 |
1 |
|
Huge probabilities created |
0 |
1 |
|
Key passes* |
0.4 |
0.3 |
|
Move accuracy* |
78% |
88% |
|
Tackles* |
1.2 |
0.3 |
|
Interceptions* |
0.7 |
0.2 |
|
Whole duels gained* |
46% |
36% |
|
Possession misplaced* |
6.4 |
3.0 |
|
Stats through Sofascore (*per recreation) |
||
As writer Zach Lowy has poetically put it, Dewsbury-Corridor is a “sturdy contender for some of the pointless signings of 2024”, with it having been no shock that hypothesis was rife over an early exit during 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 skills at Chelsea stays to be seen.
A swift summer time exit, in reality, seems to be all however sure…
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Chelsea secured three very important factors in opposition to West Ham United final evening, taking them again into the highest 4.
