Chelsea have certainly ruffled the feathers of England’s top clubs over recent seasons, with their outlandish spending and recruitment capturing the headlines.
Huge money being spent in the modern game is no surprise, but very few have matched the Blues’ levels of around £1.3b in the last three years alone, which would surely raise questions about their PSR standing, right?
Well, actually no, as Enzo Maresca’s side currently sit in the best position out of any side in the Premier League at present, sitting £300m in the green, after sales of their women’s team and other assets in and around Stamford Bridge.
There’s no denying the loopholes surrounding the current regulations are there for all to see, but no team has quite taken advantage quite like the Blues – enabling them to continue their heavy spending this summer.
With three deals completed since the window opened less than 10 days ago, that would make a solid summer market for many teams in the division – but not Chelsea – with plenty more names still in the mix for a move to the Bridge this summer.
Chelsea’s pursuit to make more signings this summer
After a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League, many sides would be content with limited business, but not Maresca’s men, leading to various areas of the pitch subject to investment this summer.
Hugo Ekitiké has been a name mentioned within the attacking department, with the likes of Eberechi Eze and Fermin Lopez targeted and reinforcements in the middle of the park.
However, the backline hasn’t been forgotten about, with centre-back Ousmane Diomande once again on their radar after previous interest this summer, according to O Jogo via CaughtOffside.
The report claimed that the 21-year-old is seen as an immediate and long-term acquisition at the heart of the backline, but face tough competition from Arsenal for his signature.
It also states that the Sporting CP youngster also has a €80m (£67m) release clause in his deal, but doesn’t mention if they would be open to negotiating a deal for a cheaper price.
Why Diomande would be a better signing than Guehi for Chelsea
Marc Guehi is a centre-back who has been a leading option in the Premier League, leading to multiple England call-ups, even featuring in the Euros final back in 2024.
The 24-year-old has also enjoyed a season to remember for Crystal Palace, leading the Eagles to their first major trophy in their history, beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley – securing Europa League football for 2025/26.
He could’ve been plying his trade at Stamford Bridge to this day, but they prematurely offloaded him to the Eagles back in 2021 for a fee in the region of £18m.
However, the Blues have been firmly in the race to land him this summer, leading to continuous rumours over the England international’s future, especially considering he’s set to enter his final 12 months of his current deal.
Despite the interest in the Cobham academy graduate, they should look to steer clear of a reunion and prioritise a move for Diomande, who’s been labelled a “hybrid” of Arsenal centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba by analyst Ben Mattinson.
The pair have often been the leading pair in England’s top flight over recent seasons, helping the Gunners concede just 34 times in 38 matches – the lowest in the division – highlighting how big of a compliment Diomande has received from Mattinson.
When comparing his stats to those of Guehi, he’s outperformed him in key areas, including passes completed and progressive passes made – handing Maresca an added ball-playing option from the back.
Games played
31
34
Pass accuracy
94%
83%
% of tackles won
79%
66%
Interceptions made
1.2
0.8
Recoveries made
5.1
4.2
Aerials won
67%
54%
Progressive passes
3.9
2.9
He’s also managed to dominate defensively, winning more of the tackles he’s entered, whilst making more interceptions – potentially bolstering the defensive department and replicating the success of local rivals Arsenal in such a department.
Whilst a reunion with the Englishman would be a dream for numerous supporters, the club desperately need to look past Guehi in favour of a move for Diomande.
The Ivorian is a younger prospect with a much higher ceiling, potentially blossoming into one of Europe’s leading stars over the next couple of years should he make the jump to West London.
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