AAt the end of this Premier League season, Chelsea will be very close to the English champions. Because the players of the club from West London will have to watch the penultimate matchday when Liverpool FC is presented with the 25 kg trophy. In terms of sport, there are now worlds between the two clubs. Chelsea kicked the champion out of the FA Cup shortly before the start of the coronavirus lockdown in early March, but in the league table the two clubs separate a monumental 33 points. Chelsea even lost 3-0 to promoted Sheffield United at the weekend. A setback in the fight for the Champions League places.
It was a transition season for Chelsea. Fan favorite Frank Lampard is relatively inexperienced as a trainer. Before moving to his previous club, he had only brief experience in the second division with Derby County. To make matters worse, the departure of superstar Eden Hazard to Real Madrid before the season, which could not be adequately compensated for, also because of the transfer embargo imposed by the world association FIFA. It was an association penalty for violating the rules on underage players.
It was only in the past winter transfer window that the club was allowed to sign new players – the International Sports Court had upheld Chelsea’s appeal and shortened the ban that had been in effect until this summer. Therefore, placing in the top four teams would be a success. And they can even decorate their season with “Silverware”, as they say in England: in the FA Cup they are in the semi-finals; Opponent is another out of shape Adonis of English football with Manchester United. On the other hand, they will very likely leave the Champions League, Bayern Munich won the first knockout round 3-0.
All in all, instead of a bad mood, something like a spirit of optimism seems to be blowing through the hallways of the Stamford Bridge Stadium. The “BBC” wrote at the end of June that Chelsea was working on something big: “Not only on the pitch – where Chelsea creates the basis for an exciting end of the season – but also next to it. Exciting approaches are on the way to reinforce a team that is already a mixture of hopeful young talents and battle-proven experience. ”
In fact, it looks like the club is positioning itself to narrow the gap in the top of the table. Chelsea has won five championships in the Premier League era since 1992, won the Champions League in 2012 and the Europa League last summer with Lampard’s predecessor Maurizio Sarri. The well-known impatient club owner Roman Abramowitsch is demanding – and the fans have got used to the success.
After all, Abramovich seems to trust Lampard so much that despite the drop in sales due to the Corona crisis, he takes money for access. And after having looked like he had lost interest in Chelsea in the past few years. German striker Timo Werner is moving from RB Leipzig to London for more than 50 million euros. Including all costs such as salary and consultant fees, Chelsea is said to have cost the transfer more than £ 100 million – partly counter-financed by the sale of Álvaro Morata to Atlético Madrid.
Right-wing Hakim Ziyech also comes from Ajax Amsterdam for 40 million euros. Further additions are in the works, including rumors that Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen. Lampard also wants to strengthen the shaky defense. Ben Chilwell from Leicester and Declan Rice from West Ham United are said to be in discussion. Both are in their early 20s and have played for England’s national team.
That sounds like an attack on the market leaders FC Liverpool and Manchester City. Especially in combination with the existing staff, which this season almost inevitably consists of players from their own youth. Mason Mount, 21, has played in every game in the league, Champions League and FA Cup. Tammy Abraham, 22, is the team’s top scorer. The own plants Callum Hudson-Odoi, Reece James, Fikayo Tomori and Billy Gilmour are also starting promising careers.
While Chelsea are working on positioning themselves for next season, most other Premier League clubs are still reluctant to join. Liverpool FC was also interested in Timo Werner, but in the end coach Jürgen Klopp’s club did not want to pay his price. Frank Lampard will now have to prove that he can not only deliver a decent season when the pressure is low due to difficult conditions, but that he is one with which Chelsea can compete again nationally and internationally for the big titles. It is not the aim of this club to stand on the sidelines and applaud while the others kiss the trophy.
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