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Chelsea 25/26 Season Preview: Transfer Window So Far!
9 Plays1 day ago
Welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast, or should I say welcome back, for a new season, the 2025-26 season
Fresh from our Club World Cup win, the season’s already got underway with two pre-season wins against Leverkusen and AC Milan
You’re listening to Martin, Yashar and Saps and over the next few podcasts we will wrap up the summer for Chelsea including the big win against PSG in the Club World Cup Final, reflect on the transfer window incomings and outgoings thus far, and give our predictions for the upcoming season – are we ready?
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Transcript
Introduction & Season Preview
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone. Welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast as we preview the twenty five twenty six season fresh from our club World Cup win. The season's already got underway with two pre-season wins against Leverkusen and AC Milan. You're listening to Martin and Yashar.
00:00:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
In the last podcast, we debriefed the Club World Cup win.
Transfer Window Insight
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
In today's podcast, we're going to reflect a little bit more on the transfer window we've had so far, the incomings, the outgoings, more still to do with with three weeks left.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
to go um But if we if we start with what we know, Yashar, maybe more on the incomings. Again, not not being quiet, shall we say.
00:00:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
um ah few, I say a few strikers, but really, you know, whole striking department has changed with Joao Pedro and Liam De Lappe coming in.
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Potentially, we we think Nicholas Jackson on the way out. So that would be ah whole position that's changed over. But we've had two strikers come in for good money. A couple of wingers as well. Esteval we knew about. Jamie Gittins was also a new one this this summer.
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Those are the main ones, of course. There's a few sort of um fringe players, younger players. um But what what do you make of the but incoming so far? Have we bought, well, ah one, have we bought right? And two, have we bought at the right price?
00:01:36
yashar
exciting I think is the word especially i think Gittins is a really good one I think Sancho last season we saw glimpses of directness it wasn't enough in my opinion and I'm glad we didn't sign him on a permanent especially with the wages he was asking for but I think Gittins is someone who is very direct and we saw that today against Milan um very direct ready to take on players especially against Leverkusen as well it's
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:00
yashar
He's not someone who defenders like to see when they're tired.
00:02:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:04
yashar
He's the last person you want to see. Someone running at you direct. Can play with both feet. And i think so far, our so ah recruitment has been amazing.
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:15
yashar
think this season, is especially with Jao Pedro coming in, who's been ah revelation, to be honest. He's scored in every game he's played in. um
00:02:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. from five
00:02:23
yashar
He's just... He's someone that we can rely on. You know what Five goals in five games. And he's... you look at him and everyone thought he like he was like a number 10, you know?
00:02:34
yashar
Oh yeah. Like number 10. Yeah. He can play there. He can play on the wing. He can play a striker, but he's come in and it's, it's a funny one because his stature is someone who's quite of a skinnier build, but he's very strong in the ball, very physical, very strong.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:48
yashar
And, and going from strong, we have a Liam DeLapp who, who I think is a bit raw still, in my opinion. um He's still got, I think the more technical stuff Mariska was saying, he, Merezko was right. He said you know he's not trained at a really high level before.
00:03:04
yashar
you know This is his first club that he's first at a first-team level with. you know He didn't train in the first team with Man City.
Key Team Changes
00:03:10
yashar
So, exciting to say the least, especially with 30 mil for Liam de Lappe and obviously it was 55 mil, if I'm not mistaken, ah for Jean-Pierre.
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:19
yashar
So, under 100 mil. um Exciting to be honest. Young players who are, I think, with someone who
00:03:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:28
yashar
just someone who really want to make a difference and that's who they are.
00:03:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And what are your thoughts on... Because as I sort of mentally think about the starting XI from last year and the potential starting XI of this year, the two positions that fully change um is striker and left winger.
00:03:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because everyone else is going to be pretty constant. The midfield settled now. It's Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandes. The defence is pretty much settled. Goalkeeper, rightly or wrongly, you know, Robert Sanchez now has another year. um And sort of...
00:04:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
attacking mid, we can call Cole Palmer that. um He's settled and right wing is broadly settled. Left wing, obviously last year, it was a mixture of Jadon Sancho, Makalo Mudrik before his ban.
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um um We would have played Smadweke there a couple of times as well. So left wing really has fully changed now to, you know, some combination of um Jamie Gittins, maybe a Tyreek George,
00:04:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And obviously Stryker, we relied so much on Nicholas Jackson last year. And now that's changed. But as you're saying, it'll probably be a Lapp slash João Pedro sort of combination.
00:04:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
What are your thoughts on that? And i it's more, everyone is so settled. Everyone's bedded in another year. It's those two positions that are not settled.
00:04:50
yashar
Yeah, I think it's... I like unsettled thing. I think it's it's something good that we're not settled there because, you know, it becomes unpredictable. um You know, obviously we have... ah We have ah strong links to Garnaccio still, another left winger.
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:05
yashar
Personally, I wouldn't want him. I don't think I've seen enough in him to to play. He's got attitude problems with, I think, with our squad. That's the last thing we need.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:13
yashar
But again, he fits the model. Young, exciting, I guess. But, you know... uncertainty is something that, you know, we could actually rely on a sometimes. Again, it's unpredictableness, especially with Jamie Gittins is there. Tariq George is, you know, he might be leaving, might not.
Player Returns & New Signings
00:05:28
yashar
um
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:29
yashar
You know, I think he deserves to play first team football. I'm not sure if you can find it here, but the last thing we want, I think as Chelsea fans in general and as the club that, you know, we can sell him and he becomes a superstar. We don't have a buyback clause.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:42
yashar
Yeah, I think it's, it's a lot in there. And I think, especially with, you know, Estavio and Andres Santos, I know that obviously they already signed for us, but, them coming back from their own clubs and loans, it's, it feels like a new signing.
00:05:55
yashar
Xavier Stavio has been exciting. And I think, from my knowledge, I've not seen someone who, I know his early days, he's been two yeah two matches, but I've not seen or heard someone when they have the ball, people get off their feet.
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:06:10
yashar
And the last time, last person we had was, was Eden Hazard.
00:06:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:13
yashar
He was the last person that, you know, touched the ball on the inside, everyone's on their feet, you know, He could be middle of the pitch and players are still on their feet. I think that's something that Mariska is not stupid, I don't think. I know he's going to keep him for this year.
00:06:26
yashar
know apparently, according to sources, 23 inquiries from clubs to loan him.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:32
yashar
um It's just, I think it shows is he's ready for Premier League, I feel. But yeah, again, it's it's exciting. And, you know, there's players like Hato as well. who's come in, who's, again, someone who we needed a left-back cover.
00:06:48
yashar
But I'm guessing he'll be playing more than he expected, to be honest, with obviously B-Vay out. um Looked, again, strong, promising. But he he looked a bit unfit, obviously, considering he's not, you know, played matches since the season's done. So, but again, it's... We look fitter, stronger, sharper.
00:07:07
yashar
So um I'm excited.
00:07:10
yashar
there's strong links with Xavi Simons. I think we need him. Someone like him. um You know, we saw, obviously, glimpse of him in the Euros. I know we're going way back, but obviously we all watched him because he played against us. He scored that lovely goal.
00:07:23
yashar
um Xavi, I think Xavi Simons is a really good player, especially in there, especially we're getting rid of Nkunku and Jackson are pretty much 90% going, aren't they? um So, we need someone like that. Xavi Simons in there, young, exciting.
00:07:38
yashar
He wants to join us. ah He's someone who's very technical and obviously coming from the Barca rankings, he's going to be technical, isn't he? But yeah, I'm excited. I think this there's a few. There's obviously Mike Magnan I really wanted in.
00:07:50
yashar
We saw him today in action. um I do agree in the sense of why would we want to pay £20 million pounds if you can get him on a free next year? But I guess there's no better time than the present, especially when you bring in a goalkeeper.
00:08:02
yashar
And lastly, yeah, it's... It's a lot, but it's, yeah, Xavi Simons, someone who I'm really excited for if he comes. But, you know, this does smell like Mark Magnan signing where, you know, he has two years left on his contract.
00:08:16
yashar
We're thinking we're not going to pay more than 60. They're wanting more than 60. You know, it's it's in that stalemate. But, you know, there's links with Garnaccio and personal terms are agreed.
00:08:28
yashar
ah I'm not excited for that. I think it really stunts, so you know, people like Tyreek George. And it's not a Stavio as well, because obviously Stavio plays in the front three. I don't know.
00:08:39
yashar
Personally, and um I know a lot of Chelsea fans are not excited for that, but
Transfer Strategy Analysis
00:08:42
yashar
I think it's evidently going to happen. um So we just got to accept it and move on.
00:08:48
yashar
It does look like that. It looks like a Renato Vega signing, doesn't it?
00:09:31
yashar
Mm-hmm. Yep.
00:09:35
yashar
hu
00:09:36
yashar
Yeah, there's a few reportedly obviously over 200 million euros made from those signings, which um from those outgoings, which is amazing. To be honest, it's something that you know it pays for our summer intakes.
00:09:49
yashar
Emotional by any i think the only one I'm a bit annoyed, not annoyed about, I think it's, you know, this whole transfer summer really reminds me of like a Marina type transfer window.
00:10:01
yashar
You know, how she, you know, sold players with astronomical amounts and brought in nice, good players. But yeah, I think the only player that a bit stuck on is is yeah Kieran Drewsby Hall. I know a lot of Chelsea fans feel the same.
00:10:17
yashar
Someone who... I feel really contributing. And again, the attitude on him, he, you know, he was, he come in, we hijacked his move from Brian. um You know, he would have played pretty much every game for Brian.
00:10:30
yashar
He come in, he barely got looking, you know, I think he only played 27 games, if I'm not mistaken. And he's a two-time world champion, you know i mean? So, i mean, I really like players like that because he's a really good character. Not only he is he a good character, he's good technically.
00:10:47
yashar
And he really contributed a lot. And people might not see that. People might just see the stats and say, he only scored a couple of goals. It's, you know, there's moments where, you know, to my knowledge, is the Chelsea Man United towards the end where he won 1-0.
00:11:00
yashar
And he come on in the 80th minute, short up the midfield, same with the Spurs game. um Obviously, same with the final as well. it's It's, you look and you, I think he was the only one that look back on saying, you know what, maybe we would have...
00:11:12
yashar
bare off kept him but again 25 mil with 5 mils add-ons you can't really decline that can you especially with someone you know with andre santos coming in in and it looks more like you know the more players we sell it looks more like the players who come in from loan are going to stay However, saying that there is still a lot more we need to get rid of.
00:11:35
yashar
Sasse, Chilwell, Sterling, um just to just to say that you know say the least, and Kunku, Jackson. um you know These players need to go. um But they will go eventually. If not, they you know I think for their own careers, they'll go.
00:11:49
yashar
But yeah, we'll see. There's still a lot of work left.
Goalkeeper Situation & Team Strategy
00:11:54
yashar
There's still a lot of work left. However, um we'll get it done. And this this summer transfer window does remind me of Marina. And I think, touch wood, we are looking like title contenders, which is something that it's has been a long time since we've said that, Martin.
00:12:14
yashar
Am I happy? I think happy and comfortable are two different things, Martin. I think, um am I happy? No. But am I comfortable with him in goal? Unfortunately, we have no choice. I think you have to be comfortable because there's no links with the new goalkeeper.
00:12:27
yashar
There were obviously heavy links with Mike Magnan. We didn't want to pay the 20 million, which is completely fair enough. And I'm guessing the board and Maresco, you know, and I do trust Maresco. I think,
00:12:38
yashar
I was one of those people who really didn't trust Mareska much, but I did ah do now. And think we're coming to a good stage in our career where think we need to trust him. He's done he's done a lot.
00:12:50
yashar
And no, to answer a question, am I happy? 50-50. Speak to me when the mid midway through the season. and