Chelsea have been splashing the cash again, signing two more young talents for a combined fee of £62.4 million. The Blues have agreed deals for Sporting Lisbon midfielders Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo, with Quenda staying in Portugal next season and Essugo arriving this summer.
Quenda and Essugo: The Next Big Things?
Quenda, a 17-year-old winger, has been making waves in Portugal with his impressive performances for Sporting Lisbon. The £44 million fee for him is the most for any player under the age of 18. He's been linked with Manchester United, but Chelsea have snapped him up. Essugo, a 20-year-old defensive midfielder, has been on loan at Las Palmas this season and has caught the eye despite the team's relegation battle.
Chelsea's Youth Policy
Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market, agreeing deals for Estevao Willian (£29m) and Kendry Paez (£17m) ahead of the summer transfer window. The Blues have spent big in recent windows, with a world record £450m spent in the 2022 summer transfer window and a January record of £320m spent at the start of 2023. The youth policy has paid off in some areas, with Cole Palmer becoming one of the game's premier talents since moving to Stamford Bridge.
The Race for the Top Four
Chelsea are currently locked in a tense battle for a top-four finish and a return to Champions League football. Just five points separate Chelsea in fourth and Bournemouth in tenth, with Man City, Newcastle, Brighton, Fulham, and Aston Villa also gunning for qualification to Europe's top tier. It remains to be seen if their big spending will pay off in the long run, but for now, Chelsea fans will be hoping their new signings can help them secure a place in next season's Champions League.
