Premier League managers were asked about Chelsea’s transfer window activity at their press conferences ahead of match week 22.
The Blues spent north of £300 million on transfers, with the biggest transfer being 2022 World Cup winner and young player of the tournament Enzo Fernandez. Chelsea shelled out £105 million to Benfica for the 22-year-old Argentine, who made his debut in their 0 – 0 draw against fellow Londoners Fulham at Stamford Bridge on Friday night.
He was one of the best performers in a night where Chelsea struggled to create much against a much-improved Fulham side, who knocked on Chelsea’s door and almost forced their way in a few times.
Regardless, the Blues’ spending has gotten tongues wagging in the Premier League and across Europe. They outspent all the top five leagues in Europe combined and many have begun to talk about how it could be harmful to the transfer window.
Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp were asked about the issue, alongside other Premier League managers and they all gave varying responses to the issue.
Guardiola said: “I know what would happen. What I said, being the last 5th or 6th in the Premier League being net spending, we won 11 trophies, four Premier Leagues in five years.
“What Chelsea have done is none of my business. We know what we are working with. What Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, without good players you have to spend.
“Now the market is…wow. What they do is not my business. There are regulations, I don’t forget, eight or nine teams send a letter for us to be banned.”
Klopp opened with a joke. “I say nothing without my lawyer,” the German said to laughter from the press, before continuing: “I don’t understand this part of the business but it’s a big number.
“They are all really good players so congratulations. I don’t understand how it’s possible, but it’s not for me to explain how it works.”
Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta offered a diplomatic response. “It’s the context that we are living in. We had in our side the possibility to do certain things that we didn’t do in the summer, and we were willing to improve the squad.
“I think this squad is still in a moment that we cannot waste any opportunity to evolve it in the way that whether it is to give players minutes, whether it is to improve the depth to the squad and I think every team tries to do the same.”
