"They Spent £105 Million on Enzo Fernandez – But Will He Live Up to It? Souness Questions Chelsea's Costly Gamble

Chelsea’s record-breaking signing, Enzo Fernandez, is facing new criticism. Former Liverpool star Graeme Souness recently called out Chelsea’s transfer strategy, questioning whether the club’s big-money investments, including Fernandez, were wise.

Chelsea spent an eye-watering £107 million ($138 million) on Fernandez in 2023. They also paid over £100 million ($129 million) for Moises Caicedo, plus large fees for players like Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia, and Mykhailo Mudryk. Despite all this spending, the club still finished sixth in the Premier League last season, far from winning any trophies.

This season, Chelsea has shown some improvement, but Fernandez has struggled. New manager Enzo Maresca even dropped him from the lineup and warned that just because he cost a lot doesn’t mean he’ll automatically play.

On the William Hill podcast Three Up Front, Souness shared his thoughts on Chelsea’s situation. “It’s still too early to fully judge this team, but with the players they’ve got, they could make the top four,” he said. “But they’re still a long way from winning the Premier League or Champions League.”

He added that he thinks Chelsea’s signings may not live up to their high expectations, warning that many might end up as wasted money. Using Fernandez as an example, he said, “For me, Enzo Fernandez, who cost £105 million and isn’t even starting now, is one of the most obvious cases.”

Souness also criticized Chelsea’s buying strategy, calling it a “scattergun” approach—meaning they bought a lot of young players without much focus. He said, “They just went out and bought anyone available, which could cause big problems for them down the line.”

He used Raheem Sterling as an example, who reportedly left Chelsea for little return on investment. Souness thinks Chelsea may face similar situations with several players on long-term contracts who underperform. “These players will be on long contracts and might not want to leave unless Chelsea pays them to go,” he explained. He said this approach isn’t sustainable long-term, as it could cause serious financial issues for the club.

Chelsea’s recent spending strategy is a big gamble, with millions poured into a young, talented team. But as Souness highlights, this risky approach could backfire if the new signings don’t deliver results. The club could end up with costly players they can’t easily sell, making it difficult to keep up financially. Whether these investments pay off will depend on players like Enzo Fernandez stepping up to prove their worth.