What seemed like an absence of a transfer policy at first has now turned into a newfound perspective, as Chelsea under Todd Boehly looks to be recruiting for the future.
The Blues have been big spenders in the market throughout the Roman Abramovich era, with most of their funds going towards signing well-established stars. However, this often led to the need for replacements every 2-3 seasons, as many of their big-money signings failed to make an impression.
Their short-termed approach was ultimately hit or miss, something that the owners clearly don’t wish to replicate.
While there is still a focus on providing Thomas Tuchel with his desired targets, Todd Boehly and co. are actively bringing in talents that will shape the future of Chelsea.
So far, the Blues have lured away highly rated Omari Hutchinson from Arsenal, acquired the services of promising Aston Villa talent Carney Chukwuemeka and they look all set to follow these up by bringing in young Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei. The 19-year-old will join the London outfit from Inter Milan for a reported fee of £15m.
The midfielder, who has also represented Italy on a youth level, has drawn comparisons with notable Blues icons Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard for his physical presence, and goal-scoring abilities. While that alone should be a cause of optimism for Blues fans, the Italian will also bring with him a solid mentality.
Savage, In A Good Way
A report from the always reliable GianlucaDiMarzio.com shines a light on the incredible hunger Casadei brings with him.
As per it, the midfielder’s former youth coach at Cesena described him as a ‘savage’, on account of his tenacity. The 19-year-old never missed a day of training, and even refused to wear a thermal shirt despite temperatures dropping to -5 degrees.
Furthermore, he also once walked a distance of 22 km to reach training under immense rain when his mom forbade him from going to the camp because of school. Casadei was also seen as a leader by his teammates during his time at Cesena before he eventually made the move to Italian heavyweights Inter.
Such unrelenting commitment is pretty rare, and especially so at his young age, making Casadei an incredibly exciting prospect.
While he certainly sent the ‘dawg’ meter through the roof, in the end, it’ll all come down to his abilities on the pitch. Needless to say, Chelsea fans can’t wait to get a glance at what the young midfielder is capable of.