"Half of them aren't going to work...": Former Chelsea star fires warning at Blues over "risky" current transfer strategy

Chelsea have made a habit out of buying young players. (Deposit Photos)

Chelsea’s transfer approach under Todd Boehly is vastly different from what it was under Roman Abramovich.

Under the Russian oligarch, who sold the club to a consortium led by Boehly in May 2022, the club prioritised big names, big players, and big transfer fees — bringing in footballers who, generally speaking, were expected to walk straight into the side and perform immediately.

Think Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba, Diego Costa, Andriy Shevchenko, David Luiz, N’Golo Kanté and more. The results varied, but the approach undoubtedly brought the Blues plenty of silverware.

Under Boehly, however, it has been a different story.

The American ownership has instead focused its efforts on signing young players — still expensive, but typically those they believe can contribute both now and in the future. Again, it has produced mixed results, earning some silverware, but nothing close to the glory years.

Think Estevao, Moises Caicedo, Malo Gusto, Liam Delap, Jorrel Hato, Jamies Gittens, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia, Joao Pedro and the inbound Datsan Satpaev and Geovany Quenda, to name but a few.

It’s an approach that has come under heavy scrutiny for several reasons.

Todd Boehly. (Deposit Photos)

First, Chelsea’s failure to secure major trophies has often been attributed to their lack of experienced signings, with the club frequently fielding the youngest line-up in the Premier League and other competitions.

Secondly, the sheer volume of players acquired — 48 in total and almost £1.5 billion spent — means not all are getting game time. It has also raised concerns about the club’s PSR compliance, even if many are shipped out a year or so later for equal or greater fees.

Lastly, there is the controversial arrangement with sister club RC Strasbourg, where the two sides are permitted to sell players to each other despite being part of the same multi-club ownership group. It is legal, but widely debated.

Now, amid the ongoing discussion, former Chelsea star Glen Johnson — famously the first signing of the Abramovich era, joining from relegated West Ham in 2003 — has shared his thoughts on the strategy, describing it as “risky”.

“It’s totally different to the system or the set-up that we had,” Johnson told OLBG in questions put to him via Everything Chelsea. “I just think it’s a hell of a lot more risky in the sense that you’re buying loads and loads of youngsters, which is great, but half of them aren’t going to work.”

Glen Johnson was Abramovich's first Chelsea signing. (Deposit Photos)

Johnson said he believes the plan can succeed, but suggested that winning major silverware — notably the Premier League — will be extremely difficult.

“To win the league, say in two or three years’ time, you need them all to hit form and peak at the same time. The chances of that happening are unlikely. It was different in our time because Roman was buying the best players at their peak and slotting them straight in,” he explained. “That’s why we were so successful almost straight away. But of course, you can’t do that these days.”

Johnson added: “Look, they’re signing great players. They’re definitely investing. I just think they’re going to need a lot more luck to get back to the top of the league than the way the Roman era did it.”

Jorrel Hato is one of those young signings who has struggled. (Deposit Photos)

Chelsea’s current strategy may be bold, forward-thinking and heavily resourced, but as Johnson suggests, it comes with significant risk.

The club has placed its future in the hands of potential rather than proven quality. Whether that gamble pays off — and whether patience will last long enough for it to do so — remains one of modern football’s most intriguing questions.