Storms Ellen and Francis have brought summer crashing to an end this week and you could be forgiven for thinking it was mid October!! Rain battered windows and the wind whistled through empty streets. 

The football off season has only just begun though and someone has already been a very busy bee… more specifically, Frank Lampard and Chelsea.

Pandemic….what pandemic?

The West London club hasn’t been shy in splashing the cash, even with a global pandemic and economic recession the Blues have been able to strengthen their squad with some big money signings. 

Last season’s transfer ban now looks like a blessing in disguise. Plenty of transfer funds have been made available after a year of relative under spending, due to the embargo. Lampard is looking to build a dynamic, talented and young squad that can challenge for the top four and possibly break up the titans that are Liverpool and Manchester City, who themselves have both been in a class of their own over the past two seasons. 

Out with the old and in with the new…

Lampard inherited a squad mixed with seasoned pros, who for the most part are coming to the end of their glittering careers and a crop of young, very talented academy prospects. The appointment of Jody Morris as Lampard’s assistant is seen as vital to the development of these academy players, having coached them at youth level. Morris was part of the youth coaching set up at Chelsea prior to joining up with Lampard at Derby back in 2018 and followed him to Chelsea.

Last season saw several of these players excel once given the opportunity by Lampard and his coaching staff. Players Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori all returned from loans ( Mount and Tomori were with Lampard at Derby) and impressed in the early stages of the campaign.

Abraham and Mount kept World cup winners Giroud (France ‘18) and Pedro Spain ‘10) out of the team respectively, a truly remarkable feat, eventually drawing the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate.

Callum Hudson-Odoi, who had attracted interest from Bavarian giants Bayern Munich before Lampard’s appointment and young Scot, Billy Gilmour, impressed, with the latter’s mature performances surprising us all.

Young full back Reece James started to keep senior fullback Emerson Palmieri out of the team and is highly regarded at Stamford Bridge, all three players were promoted from the under 23’s.

Chelsea had a good season, finishing fourth and claiming the final Champions League spot, beating Leicester City to the berth on the last day of the season. An impressive achievement for the rookie manager, in only his second season as a coach. Many doubted his credentials but a solid run of form at the tail end of last season saw them grab that lucrative Champions League place.

The floodgates open…

No doubt Champions League qualification is vital to Chelsea’s development, as they look to regain the Premier League title, having not won it since Antonio Conte’s first season back in 2017. Lampard can now look to strengthen his squad, with the transfer embargo imposed by UEFA served, they have wasted no time at all.

Hakim Ziyech was confirmed way back before the lockdown costing £35.5m from Ajax. His scintillating form in Ajax’s run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019 and his consistent performances in the Dutch Eredivisie earned him the move, although he only became a Chelsea player once the new window had opened and subsequently Chelsea’s ban lifted.

Already having secured the services of Ziyech the Blues could turn their attention elsewhere…and boy have they!!

Next up German international forward Timo Werner signed from RB Leipzig for £45m, pricing out Premier League champions Liverpool much to their own fans’ disappointment. The German has a knack for finding the back of the net and after a sensational 28 goals in 34 appearances, second only to Robert Lewandowski (34) in this year’s Bundesliga goalscoring charts.

The spending hasn’t stopped there, England and Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell finally put pen to paper on a lucrative 5 year deal following a bid of £50m. An offer too good to turn down for the Foxes.

Chelsea still don’t look done yet, Kai Havertz has long been linked with the club and could still make a move to Stamford Bridge. Lampard has also hinted at a replacement for goalkeeper Kepa Arizabalaga, whilst talks are ongoing with former Paris St-Germain skipper Thiago Silva, he looks set to arrive as a free agent subject to a medical.

Havertz is valued at £80m by Bayer Leverkusen and should Chelsea and Lampard decide to go for the versatile forward it would take the clubs spending to around £200m, a vast sum in most regular windows but ridiculous in the current financial climate. 

Getting Ahead…

I have to say, Chelsea look impressive going into next season, the pandemic does not seem to have stopped them from spending the cash with not only big fees but quality too!

The additions of Chilwell, Werner and Ziyech look to be great pieces of business and with their best years ahead of them, all three should have an immediate impact on the first team and will be pushing for a starting place as the new campaign kicks off.

Alongside these new signings Lampard will keep faith in his young British players. Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount will again look to have a strong season, Hudson-Odoi, James and Gilmour will want to break into the first team as regulars.

I actually enjoy watching Chelsea these days, long gone are the pragmatic days of Conte, Mourinho and Sarri and if Lampard can get his new signings to gel with his promising young squad the future is indeed bright in West London.  I don’t see them mounting a serious title challenge, yet they are still my favourites to be the best of the rest.

So roll on next season it’s going to be another kind of blues. 

Written by Andy Jones