Chelsea’s best and worst signings of the summer transfer window as Xabi Alonso’s squad takes shape

A Chelsea transfer window is rarely short of comings and goings, and that remained the case for Xabi Alonso’s first summer at Stamford Bridge.

13 players have followed Alonso through the door at Chelsea, with a whopping 37 leaving either permanently or on loan.

Under BlueCo’s ownership, Chelsea have relentlessly pursued a youth-focused recruitment policy, but this summer saw the first tentative moves away from that approach.

Deals for Honest Anahor and Geovany Quenda still represent large outlays on young, unproven talent, but the signings of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson demonstrate a club that has finally recognised the importance of hardened, experienced leaders within their dressing room.

Alonso appears set to deploy a 3-4-2-1 at Chelsea this season, and so the signings of Marco Palestra and Pep Chavarria should suit that system down to a tee.

Maxence Lacroix adds further experience to the centre of defence, while a poor opening game from Robert Sanchez saw the Blues jump at the opportunity to sign World Cup winner Emi Martinez for only £7.5miillion.

Morgan Rogers represents the jewel in the crown of Chelsea’s summer incomings, but his eye-watering £177m fee will largely be offset by another impressive summer of selling, which sits at more than £400m with add-ons.

The Blues managed to raise in excess of £115m for Nicolas Jackson and Liam Delap, who were both deemed surplus to requirements in west London, while Enzo Fernandez’s protracted saga came to a close on deadline day as he joined Manchester City for £125m.

But a failure to replace the Argentine could prove a mistake, and leave many wondering if the Blues have the depth in central midfield to turn their positive start into a sustained title challenge over the course of the whole season.

Chelsea’s transfer window: All the ins and outs

INCOMINGS

Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa, £117m)
Honest Anahor (Atalanta, £40m)
Valentin Barco (Strasbourg, £34m)
Pep Chavarraia (Rayo Vallecano, £16.3m)
Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace, £52m)
Emi Martinez (Aston Villa, £7.5m)
Marco Paletra (Atalanta, £47m)
Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP, £44m)
Danny Welbeck (Brighton, £5m)
Alfie Osborne (Hearts, £400,000)
Jordan Henderson (Brentford, free transfer)
Harrison Bettoni (Wigan Athletic, undisclosed)
Dastan Satpayev (FC Kairat, undisclosed)

OUTGOINGS

Enzo Fernandez (Man City, £125m)
Andrey Santos (Manchester United, £50m)
Trevoh Chalobah (Como, £30m)
Marc Cucurella (Real Madrid, £52m)
Liam Delap (Nottingham Forest, £50m)
Tyrique George (Everton, £24m)
Marc Guiu (Rb Leipzig, £14.6m)
Nicolas Jackson (Aston Villa, £65m)
Jimmy-Jay Morgan (West Brom, £4m)
Omari Kellyman (Strasbourg, permanent)
Robert Sanchez (Como, loan)
Darrio Essugo (Strasbourg, loan)
David Fofana (Servette, permanent)
Benoit Badiashile (Napoli, loan)
Axel Disasi (Crystal Palace, loan)
Alejandro Garnacho (Aston Villa, loan)
Filip Jorgensen (Strasbourg, loan)
Mamadou Sarr (Real Sociedad, loan)
Dastan Satpayev (Burnley, loan)

Best signing – Morgan Rogers

It’s still early days, but Rogers has shown no signs that the £117m transfer fee will weigh heavily on his shoulders at Chelsea.

Instead, the 24-year-old has fitted seamlessly into Chelsea’s new-look front three with a goal and assist in his first two league matches.

Rogers, in many ways, represents the perfect blend of Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer: powerful and physical in all areas of the pitch, but also more than capable with the ball in tight spaces and in front of goal.

Alonso’s Chelsea have already shown an ability to punish opponents in transition, a style of play that should suit Rogers and the rest of the front three down to the ground.

And while not quite the bargain that Martinez could prove, Rogers has all the qualities to become a talismanic figure in Chelsea’s forward line for years to come. There’s a reason Arsenal and Mikel Arteta wanted him so badly…

Worst signing – Jordan Henderson

Perhaps a tad harsh on the experienced midfielder, but someone has to take home the award.

Unlike fellow veteran Welbeck, who arrived from Brighton after the best goalscoring season of his career, Henderson joined from Brentford after falling in and out of Keith Andrews’ side throughout the back end of last season.

A broken arm sustained in the World Cup means Henderson is yet to play a minute for Alonso’s side, and it’s hard to envisage him playing all that regularly even when he’s fit.

The 36-year-old was brought in perhaps primarily for his off-pitch, dressing room qualities, but his actual impact on the pitch could prove unremarkable.

One that got away – Enzo Fernandez replacement

Chelsea’s decision to let go of Fernandez on deadline day was a calculated gamble, selling a player who no longer wanted to be at the club for a record-equalling fee but without a replacement through the door.

An approach for Manu Kone was rebuffed by Roma earlier in the day, before Monaco remarkably pulled the plug on a deal for Lamine Camara in the final moments of the window.

Chelsea still let Fernandez leave for City, but they now have just four natural central midfielders on their books, even if Reece James and Malo Gusto can also help out in that role.

And while their schedule is lighter this season with a lack of European football, the injury records of Romeo Lavia and James mean they can’t always be relied upon. An early-season injury to Moises Caicedo won’t help either.

Fernandez wasn’t always adored at Stamford Bridge, but his talent and penchant for a big-game moment were undeniable. To not replace that feels like a misstep and one that could cost them in a season where many believe Alonso’s side could possibly take Arsenal all the way.

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