Chelsea had a nightmare of a last season, where they recorded the worst title defense in the history of the Premier League. It started with the lady doctor Eva Carneiro and ended with John Terry crying. Every step in a forward direction, every burst of form, was swiftly followed by embarrassing defeats with poor performances. Most of the players seemed a shadow of themselves, the likes of Eden Hazard and Costa struggled to get going all season.
All this resulted in the sacking of Jose Mourinho mid-way through the season. Guus Hiddink was brought in by Abramovich to steady the ship, but the Dutchman could only secure 10th place, unheard of in the Abramovich era, as the Blues crashed out of the Champions League to Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. The signing of Falcao was a disaster, Pedro was brilliant on his debut but soon faded away. It was only the performance of Willian that kept the team above water.
Antonio Conte will arrive at Stamford Bridge in the coming few days, and he has been brilliant with the Italian national team at the Euros and looks determined to get Chelsea back on top. Chelsea have just confirmed their first signing of the summer, which sees Michy Batshuayi arriving from Marseille in a €40 million switch. The pressure will be on him, as he becomes the first signing of the new era at Chelsea.
Despite being pursued by a host of top European clubs, including Juventus and Tottenham, he has decided to follow international team-mates Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois to Stamford Bridge. He scored with his first touch in Belgium’s 4-0 thrashing of Hungary last week. Due to his goal scoring abilities and strong physique the Belgian striker has been compared to both Didier Drogba and Romelu Lukaku in the early stages of their careers.
The Batshuayi deal has set a new record transfer received by Marseille, which had previously been set by Drogba with his move to Stamford Bridge in 2004 for £24m, leading to comparisons between the two forwards. The 22 year old has scored 17 goals in Ligue 1 last season. The important thing to notice here is that he didn’t get them in a glut but they came steadily throughout the season.
Batshuayi has been amongst the goals wherever he has played in his short career. He managed 23 goals for Standard Liege in the 2013/14 season to help the club finish as runners-up in the Belgian league, before moving to Marseille where he found the net 33 times in 78 appearances. He was involved in 54% of Marseille’s Ligue 1 goals last season, as his side finished in a disappointing 13th place.
While he physically very strong, it’s his pace and movement that provides the real threat to the opposition, quite in contrast with Drogba, who relied on his size and power to great effect in both his build up play and when he found himself in front of goal. One can also say that Batshuayi is more technically sound than Drogba, something which will come handy while playing two up top.
The Belgian himself doesn’t see any comparisons between himself and Drogba and even told the club’s official website, “We are different people, I totally respect the career Didier had at Chelsea and I am going to do my best.”
Chelsea
Sonia Bompastor Refuses to Address Sam Kerr Exit Speculation Amid Chelsea Striker’s Uncertain Future
Sonia Bompastor has declined to discuss Sam Kerr’s future at Chelsea amid mounting speculation the Australian superstar will walk away from Stamford Bridge as a free agent this summer. The prolific striker’s contract expires at the end of the current campaign, with numerous reports claiming she has already decided to leave after seven years in English football.
Bompastor shut down questions about Kerr’s situation during her pre match press conference, stating that both the forward and captain Millie Bright, remain under contract for now. The Chelsea boss made clear she will not be drawn into speculation about player futures while matches remain to be played this season.
Sam Kerr Departure Would End Glorious Era
The potential exit of Kerr alongside long time captain Bright would signal the end of Chelsea’s most successful period in their history. The club has already lost Guro Reiten permanently, while Catarina Macario is heading to America on what reports claim will be a record shattering NWSL contract worth millions.
Chelsea appears committed to rebuilding around younger talent rather than extending deals for established stars entering the latter stages of their careers. This strategic shift could see several high profile names depart simultaneously this summer.
American Clubs Preparing Lucrative Offers for Sam Kerr
Multiple NWSL franchises are circling for Kerr’s signature, hoping to lure the Australian back to the United States, where she previously starred before joining Chelsea. The American league has dramatically increased investment in recent years, offering salaries that can now compete with European clubs.
Ian Wright publicly criticized any decision to offer Kerr merely a short extension rather than a substantial long term deal, arguing her legendary status deserves better recognition. However, Chelsea’s transfer strategy appears already set, with youth recruitment taking priority over sentiment towards club icons nearing the end of their peak years.
Chelsea
26-Year-Old Set for $8M Move to San Diego Wave as Chelsea Striker Expected to Leave Stamford Bridge With Transfer Window Nearing Final Days
Catarina Macario is expected to leave Chelsea F.C. Women and complete a move to San Diego Wave FC with the transfer window nearing its final days. Reports suggest the NWSL side is working quickly to finalize the deal, which could be worth roughly $8 million in total contract value.
The proposed transfer fee is believed to be around $300,000, which is frankly a favorable outcome for Chelsea given that Macario’s contract expires this summer. Without a sale now, the American international could have left the club as a free agent at the end of the season, which would have been disastrous business.
San Diego Using High Impact Player Rule
San Diego Wave are planning to sign the forward using the NWSL’s High Impact Player rule, a mechanism that allows clubs to pay certain star players up to $1 million outside the league’s salary cap. To qualify, players must meet specific performance or profile criteria, which Macario certainly does.
The current NWSL salary cap stands at $3.7 million, making the rule an important tool for attracting top international talent. This represents a significant investment from San Diego, who are absolutely serious about building a championship winning squad.
Has Not Featured Regularly for Chelsea
Macario has not featured regularly for Chelsea in recent weeks, partly due to injury concerns and the uncertainty surrounding her future. Despite her absence, Chelsea recently secured their first trophy of the season by defeating Manchester United Women in the Women’s League Cup final.
The London club remain active on multiple fronts, still competing in the UEFA Women’s Champions League and preparing for the quarter final stage of the Women’s FA Cup.
Chelsea Sit Third in WSL
However, Chelsea’s domestic league campaign has been more challenging. For the first time in five seasons, they are no longer clear favorites for the Women’s Super League title under manager Sonia Bompastor.
Chelsea
Joe Montemurro Makes Remarkable Juventus vs Chelsea Comparison After Matildas Gets Past Best Team at Asia Cup
Joe Montemurro showed a flexibility to his approach in the Women’s Asian Cup quarter finals that meant the Matildas prevailed by adapting to the circumstances in front of them, even if it was contradictory to the style that is in his DNA. Australia edged North Korea 2-1 in Perth to make the semi finals in what was a resilient performance against the tournament’s best team.
“Let’s be frank and honest here. Winning football games like that, it usually happens in tournaments,” Montemurro said after the victory. The Italian boss then turned to his captain, Sam Kerr, in the press conference and referenced one of his key wins in European football with Juventus against her Chelsea side.
Had 450 Million Shots and We Had One
“I’ve done it a few times like that in Champions League. I think there was a game against Chelsea, we got a draw. They had 450 million shots, and we had one,” Montemurro said with a smile. This Champions League reference perfectly illustrated the type of performance Australia needed to overcome North Korea.
He added, “We knew that they were a great side. They’re the best team in the tournament. They really are. So we just had to be methodical. Where we won the game were the little bits in between, as we were losing the ball or as we were winning the ball to keep our shape and keep our organisation. We didn’t create much. We had to resist a lot.”
It’s Who I Am But Part of Remit to Win
Montemurro was absolutely honest about abandoning his preferred style for tournament pragmatism. “Do I want to play a possession based game? Do I want to keep the ball? It’s who I am. It’s my DNA, but part of my remit is to win football matches,” he explained.
He continued, “Sometimes you have to have that flexibility. At this level, it’s all about moments. It’s all about taking those moments.”
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