Chelsea’s strategy of investing heavily into the transfer market has certainly been a risky strategy in recent years, but it’s certainly starting to reap the benefits in 2025/26.
The Blues have spent a reported £1.5b on additions since the takeover back in May 2022, with the hierarchy evidently wanting to improve the squad for the immediate and long-term future.
From teenagers being signed from all over the globe to Premier League proven options, there’s been no stopping Enzo Maresca’s side from bolstering their ranks.
Enzo-Maresca-Leeds-Chelsea
Such a strategy has shown glimpses of success, as seen with the UEFA Conference League triumph last season, subsequently being able to rotate the side massively and still claim European glory.
However, not all of their additions have been successful, with one player signed in the summer of 2025 already struggling to meet the demands placed upon him.
Why Gittens has struggled at Chelsea in 2025/26
During the recent summer transfer window, Chelsea spent roughly £300m on new additions, with around £52m of which being spent on the signature of young winger Jamie Gittens.
The 21-year-old arrived in West London from German side Borussia Dortmund, and doing so with high expectations given such a fee and his tally of 15 goal contributions in 2024/25.
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However, in his first 20 games for the Blues, he’s only scored once and registered five assists, with his latest showing against Cardiff City highlighting his struggles in England.
Gittens featured for just 66 minutes before being replaced after failing to complete any of the dribbles he attempted, whilst also losing 75% of the duels he entered.
Gittens Cardiff vs Chelsea stats
The reasons behind his struggles aren’t exactly clear at present, but the change of adapting to the demands of the Premier League from the Bundesliga is certainly becoming a tricky ask.
That, coupled with living in a new city, whilst trying to fit into an unfamiliar system - only makes things harder for a star who’s only just turned 21 years of age.
There’s no doubt he will come good with patience and support, but it’s evident that some fans are already getting frustrated by his lack of immediate impact at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea star who’s a bigger waste than Gittens
Given the sheer volume of players arriving at Chelsea, there’s always going to be a select few who unfortunately, fail to match the expectations they arrived with.
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Spending huge money in the transfer market no doubt poses some risks, with the Blues hierarchy certainly enduring their fair share of mistakes in recent years.
Failed top-flight options like Raheem Sterling and young talent Angelo are just two players who were unable to make their mark, but the list certainly doesn’t end there.
However, on the whole, the board have managed to recoup the majority of the money spent on failed additions - as seen by the reported net spend of just £15m last summer.
The same can’t be said for winger Mykhailo Mudryk, with the Blues set to lose out on a small fortune given his embarrassing spell at Stamford Bridge in recent years.
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A bidding war with Arsenal back in January 2023 saw Chelsea fork out a reported £88.5m for the Ukrainian international from homeland club Shakhtar Donetsk.
Such a fee was seen as an overpay at the time, but his debut cameo off the bench against Liverpool gave the supporters hope that the 24-year-old would prove to be a shrewd buy.
However, nearly three years on from his transfer, it’s safe to say his spell in West London has been nothing short of a disaster - whether that be on or off the pitch, in fact.
Mudryk has racked up 73 appearances for the Blues but has only managed to score on ten occasions, often struggling to meet expectations when selected by various managers.
Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk
Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk
However, he’s now been missing for nearly 13 months, after being hit with a provisional suspension following a positive doping test back in November 2024.
In June 2025, the English FA formally charged him with a breach pending an investigation, that’s despite the player himself claiming his innocence and denying any wrongdoing.
Mykhailo Mudryk's - Chelsea career in numbers
Statistics
Appearances
Minutes played
Goals
Assists
Goal Involvements per game
Minutes per goal or assist
Stats via Transfermarkt
However, despite not training with the club, he is still currently being paid by the Blues, with the winger’s current contract set to expire in the summer of 2031 after penning an eight-year deal upon his arrival.
Mudryk, who’s been dubbed “absolutely terrible” by ESPN’s Craig Burley, currently earns a reported £100k-per-week, and has done ever since his transfer nearly three years ago.
Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk
Chelsea winger Mykhaylo Mudryk
Such a figure now means the attacker has earned just shy of £15.2m in wages alone, which has taken the cost of his total transfer to around the £104.1m mark.
Whilst Gittens has struggled early on in his time with the Blues, there’s no denying that he has a chance to redeem himself in West London, but the same can’t be said for Mudryk.
His lack of form and recent ban have all but ruined any chance he had of salvaging his career at the club - with the club desperately needing to cut their losses.
The ongoing investigation is no doubt holding up proceedings, but it’s likely he will be moved on at the next available opportunity - with the hierarchy needing to bear such a deal in mind ahead of January.
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