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Chelsea must finally sell "dreadful" £35m dud who Boehly was really "delighted" to sign -opinion

After Todd Boehly’s takeover of Chelsea back in May 2022, no one could have predicted the massive influx of transfers that would take place at Stamford Bridge.

The American purchased the club from Roman Abramovich for a reported £4.25bn, but despite the huge acquisition to buy the Blues, he’s since invested a whole heap of cash into the playing squad.

Nearly three years on since he arrived in London, Boehly has spent around £1.2bn on new talents, investing for the present whilst also keeping one eye on the future.

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Somehow, the club have avoided any punishment from the Premier League for breaking PSR or FFP - an unthinkable situation given the funds they have spent in recent times.

With such an array of transfers made, it’s obvious that some were going to fail to live up to expectations, but there are numerous who have caught the eye since their move to the Bridge.

Some of Chelsea’s best signings of the Boehly era

Striker Nicolas Jackson was a player who came under fire during last season under the former management regime despite scoring 14 Premier League goals.

However, since Enzo Maresca’s appointment during the summer, the Senegalese has taken his game to the next level - starring in front of goal.

nicolas-jackson-chelsea-premier-league

The 23-year-old has already found the back of the net eight times in his opening 13 matches, sitting as joint top scorer in the league alongside Cole Palmer with a third of the season already complete.

Moises Caicedo arrived in West London with huge expectations after his £115m transfer from Brighton - a deal that broke the record for being the most expensive in English football.

However, he’s already made 63 appearances, scoring twice, including a phenomenal long-range effort against Bournemouth towards the back end of the season.

The price tag would’ve played on the mind of the 23-year-old, but he’s proven to be worth every penny of the fee paid for his services, but the same can’t be said for one of his current teammates.

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The high-earning Chelsea player who Maresca needs to sell

After his summer arrival, boss Maresca has already created a settled side, as demonstrated by their current league standing, which sees them sit third and level on points with second-placed Arsenal.

enzo-maresca-chelsea-training

His arrival has allowed for a fresh start for numerous players, including left-back Marc Cucurella, who has nailed down the position in recent months, featuring in 12 of the 13 Premier League games this campaign.

Other players have not been so lucky, including central defender Benoit Badiashile, starting just one league meeting to date, featuring for a combined 157 minutes.

Nkunku-Disasi-Badiashile

However, the Frenchman arrived with high hopes after his £35m transfer from Monaco back in January 2023, but he’s only made 44 appearances since his big-money deal, finding himself down the pecking order this season.

Badiashile, who earns £90k-per-week at the Bridge, has mainly been restricted to Europa Conference League appearances this campaign, not at the level required for Maresca given his lack of league action.

Minutes played by Chelsea defenders in the PL (2024/25)

Player

1) Levi Colwill

2) Wesley Fofana

3) Marc Cucurella

4) Malo Gusto

5) Reece James

6) Tosin

7) Benoit Badiashile

8) Axel Disasi

9) Ben Chilwell

Stats via FotMob

He still has plenty of time on his side given his tender age of just 23, but it’s safe to say that the move hasn’t worked out, especially after owner Boehly was “delighted” to secure his services nearly two years ago.

"We're delighted to welcome Benoit to Chelsea. He's an excellent young player who has quickly established a strong reputation for himself and has a huge amount of experience for his young age. We are sure he will form an important part of our team in the years ahead."

Given his £35m fee, the defender has currently cost the club £800k per appearance he’s made, a huge amount given his lack of impact in recent months.

Benoît-Badiashile-chelsea

His hefty wage, unfortunately, doesn’t reflect his game time since the appointment of the Italian, with a transfer away from the Blues potentially needed to kickstart a career which has become rather "dreadful" at Stamford Bridge in the words of pundit Gabby Agbonlahor.

There’s no way given his recent form, that the hierarchy would be able to make a profit, potentially taking a massive hit on their investment, but giving him the opportunity to resurrect his once-promising career.

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