Chelsea have baffled football viewers in the January transfer window with signing after signing, as Graham Potter's squad has inflated dramatically.
Mykhaylo Mudryk and Joao Felix are among the six players who have arrived at Stamford Bridge this January, and the club have spent €178.5million in the transfer window.
Some of the signings have come from left field, and Potter has now made a surprising claim about the club's transfer business.
The former Brighton boss spoke to BT Sport ahead of Chelsea's clash with Liverpool on Saturday, and revealed that he has not made the final decision on all of the club's recent dealings.
Chelsea: Graham Potter makes startling transfer claim
Chelsea have struggled under Graham Potter this season, and they lie in 10th in the table ahead of the weekend's Premier League action.
Potter arrived in West London in September, after the surprise sacking of previous coach Thomas Tuchel. He has been backed up with a remarkable recruitment drive this January, with Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, and David Datro Fofana all arriving on permanent transfers, while Portuguese star Joao Felix has arrived on a short-term loan from Atletico Madrid.
With such an enormous reinforcement of Chelsea's squad, one would presume that Potter has been involved in identifying targets.
Speaking to BT Sport ahead of Saturday's trip to Anfield, he revealed that he is not quite as involved in transfer dealings as fans may presume, revealing that much of the club's business is handled elsewhere and that he does not have "command" over arrivals at the club.
"We're trying to win together, as a club. Whilst I have an input on everything I'm not the guy that sits in a room and decides everything."
🗣 Chelsea boss Graham Potter on player recruitment, gelling his squad together and shutting down the outside noise.
🎙 @TheDesKelly pic.twitter.com/a9xwrGU0v1— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 21, 2023
When asked about whether the players Chelsea had signed were "his" targets, Graham Potter told BT:
I don't think it's as simple as saying they're "mine".
If you're the head coach, it's very hard to also have command over these targets and have a list of players that are "yours". I think my job is to support the club, which is a recruitment team, an ownership group. Whether it's transfers, whether it's daily environment, winning matches...it's a club. We're trying to win together as a club.
Whilst I have an input in everything, I'm not the guy that sits in a room and decides everything.
It is a surprising revelation, with Potter appearing to reveal that he has not been the man identifying Chelsea's targets in the January transfer window.
Chelsea's activity in January has followed a summer window which saw eight players arrive for just over €280million, bringing the total spend for the club this season to well over €400m.
Of the signings thus far, the jury is still out on plenty, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang flopping on his return to the Premier League.
Speaking after Potter's interview was broadcast on BT Sport, ex-Liverpool man Steven Gerrard questioned whether the new signings had improved Chelsea.
"The new owners are going to have a reset at this football club; In terms of culture, the way they deal with managers and not looking at short-term fixes" 🔀@lynseyhipgrave1, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard and @rioferdy5 talk about Graham Potter's start to life as Chelsea boss. pic.twitter.com/t7uRAFG9xm
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) January 21, 2023
Gerrard was unsure whether the new arrivals had helped Potter to settle at the club:
They're been inconsistent of late and a lot of new signings have come in. I think Graham Potter needs a certain type of player that can hang on to every word, that he can coach and develop and improve.
I'm not sure [if there is a strategy]. Listening to Graham Potter’s interviews there’s little nuggets in the interview that he’s not taking responsibility for every signing here, he’s saying it’s more a collective in terms of the decision-making here.
I think you’ve got an owner that’s in a rush for success, you’ve got a manager that wants a bit more patience and to build something special here - I think he’s more than capable - but for me the concerning thing is that they seem to be reacting off recent results.
You look at January alone they’ve broke their record again - what is it close to £150 million? When is it going to stop? So are they going to have a positive six months now until the end of the season or are they going to go and spend another £200 million?
Potter will hope that the January arrivals at Chelsea will aid their fortunes, as they seek to push for European football after a thoroughly underwhelming first half to the season. They also have a Champions League last 16 assignment against Borussia Dortmund to look forward to next month.
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