Chelsea Abandon Golden Rule After Disastrous Pochettino Year in Football Sport Express.co.uk
Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea has implemented a new transfer policy to address the struggles of their young squad. The team is facing the possibility of another season without European football. Chelsea expert Simon Phillips revealed that last summer, the club focused on signing players under the age of 25 as part of a significant spending spree to usher in a new era under Pochettino. However, due to a noticeable lack of experience in the team, there has been a shift in this policy in preparation for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Pochettino oversaw the arrival of approximately 12 players, all aged 25 or younger, at Stamford Bridge during his first transfer window, with the club spending an estimated combined total of £400 million. The focus on investing heavily in young talent has been evident at Chelsea over the past two years. It is unlikely that the club will completely reverse its stance and pursue players in their thirties, akin to the successful free transfer of Thiago Silva in 2020. However, as the Brazilian is expected to depart at the end of the season, his valuable experience will leave with him.
Pochettino responded to questions about his team’s performance at the Emirates by emphasizing the need for the squad to gain experience and learning from the current circumstances. He mentioned that building a young squad is part of the club’s new project and acknowledged the associated risks and the time required for progress. Despite being disappointed with the team’s performance, Pochettino refrained from using unfair terms to describe the team, players, or squad.
