This is why Chelsea appear to be leaving Joao Felix OUT of their Champions League squad
Chelsea may think money can make them happy, but it may not allow them to register all their new stars in their Champions League squad.
The Blues have had the most eye-catching showcase of any in Europe, with nearly £300 million for some of the world’s most exciting talents. The sheer cost of the talent entering through the revolving door at Stamford Bridge means that on average each of their eight signings in January has cost them more than £30million.
That’s a lot of talent to add to a team – but with only three places available to add to their European squad for the second half of the season, there are some decisions ahead for Graham Potter.
Who will sign Chelsea into their European squad?
Chelsea made eight signings in January, although Malo Gusto remains on loan at Lyon until the summer.
Monaco’s Benoit Badiashile was first before David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos arrived. Joao Felix on loan from Atlético Madrid came next ahead of fellow Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk – and then Noni Madueke, before World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez came on for more than £100million.
So let’s add the two no-brainers to the squad already: Mudryk and Fernandez. Together they cost more than £160 million – without add-ons – and with Hakim Ziyech and Jorginho leaving for PSG and Arsenal respectively, the new Blues are natural replacements.
That only leaves one spot – so let’s leave out David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos. Both are much less known at 20 and 18 respectively, and neither is likely to make too much of a fuss at a censure. Madueke cost almost £30 million, but he too is only 20, has very little Champions League experience and is new to the Premier League – so it’s easy for Graham Potter to make him understand that it’s a good thing for him to to be set up in West London.
Essentially, that makes the choice between Badiashile and Felix who gets last place in the squad. And it’s a tough decision.
Exactly for this reason, Felix was brought in. He has plenty of top-flight experience for Atlético, Benfica and Portugal, and with a £9m loan fee, Chelsea will want to make the most of their signing… especially given that the cost-per-game ratio has risen with a suspension of three games following a red card on his Premier League debut.
However, Chelsea looked much better defensively with Badiashile in tow. They have a plethora of attacking options in the league, including the presumably fresh Madueke and Fofana, but not quite the same wealth of options at the back – especially with an aging Thiago Silva, a disappointing Kalidou Koulibaly and Potter wanting a back three as a option, not to mention injuries.
By registering Mudryk, Fernandez and Badiashile for the next round of the Champions League, they get an attacker, a midfielder and also a defender: nicely balanced. So while Felix probably thought he would at least make it to the Round of 16 in this year’s competition, he couldn’t have progressed beyond parent club Atletico Madrid, dumped in the groups.
Think more like Soccer Manager by at least telling a mercenary that he’s not part of your plans for a particular match, you won’t have to put up with his furious disdain for you after the summer. Football moves fast: who would have thought when Felix was signed that he would miss out on the Champions League squad altogether?
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