"Have not signed a single player Pochettino has asked for or recommended" - Journalist makes bold claim about Chelsea's recruitment
Football journalist Sami Mokbel has claimed that Chelsea's player recruitment was not done after consulting with manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues have once again had an underwhelming campaign despite spending big in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea had signed as many as 12 players in the transfer window before the start of the season. Mokbel, however, believes that none of the players signed were done on the recommendation of manager Pochettino.
Each manager has a kind of system they wish to play and require the kind of player who can fit into the same, something Pochettino does not have at the moment.
Speaking on the The Josh and Darko Show (via CFCPys on X), the journalist said the following:
“My understanding is Chelsea have not signed a single player Pochettino has asked for or recommended."
Chelsea have splashed the cash under the ownership of Todd Boehly. According to GOAL, the Blues have spent close to £1 billion overall since he took ownership of the club and the last summer transfer window was no different.
The west London outfit spent big on two midfielders ahead of the 2023-24 season. They broke their transfer record by bringing in Moises Caicedo for £115 million from Brighton and Hove Albion, and also spent close to £60 million to sign Romeo Lavia.
Other big-money signings include Christopher Nkunku (£53 million), Cole Palmer (£40 million) and Axel Disasi (£38 million).
Despite all the money being spent, Chelsea have not had any improvements on the field. They brought in Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager ahead of the new season but their form has mostly remained the same from last season.
As things stand, the Blues are ninth in the Premier League standings, having accumulated 48 points from 33 games. They do, however, have two games in hand over eighth-placed West Ham United who are just a point clear to them.
Despite a poor season in the league, Pochettino's side have done well in the cup competitions. They reached the Carabao Cup final earlier this year but lost to Liverpool after extra time. The Blues then reached the semifinals of the FA Cup but narrowly lost to Manchester City.
Chelsea take on London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League
Chelsea's next task in the Premier League is a home game against North London giants Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday, May 2. The Blues will want to get back to winnings ways after going two games without a victory in the league.
They will come into the game on the back of a 5-0 defeat to Arsenal and a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in which they were 2-0 down at one point. Noni Madueke pulled one back for his side before Conor Gallagher leveled the game with nine minutes remaining.
The Blues have two back-to-back home matches coming up in the Premier League. Following their game against Spurs, they take on West Ham United on Sunday, May 5.