Chelsea transfer window proving more effective than rivals.Chelsea’s amazing start to the season has been almost entirely down to two players – the superb summer signings of Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa.
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Known for sometimes blowing Roman Abramovich’s money on some expensive flops (Fernando Torres and Andriy Shevchenko come to mind), Chelsea appear to have got it just right in this summer’s transfer window, with Fabregas and Costa contributing heavily to the club’s great start in the Premier League.
Many clubs were busy in the transfer market in the build-up to this season, with the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Real Madrid also spending heavily on new attacking players to enhance their options in that part of the pitch.
Still, the numbers weigh heavily in Chelsea’s favour so far, with the Blues getting the best value for money in terms of money paid per goal contribution.
Chelsea (£62m)
Diego Costa (7 goals, 0 assists)
Cesc Fabregas (0 goals, 6 assists)
Loic Remy (1 goal, 0 assists)
Contributing a combined 13 goals between them so far, Chelsea’s new attacking duo Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa look superb value for money, costing just £4.7m per goal contribution after joining for a combined £62m this summer. Although Loic Remy has only made one appearance so far, that’s all he’s needed to get on the scoresheet as well, making it £5.25m spent per goal contribution.
Real Madrid (£83m)
James Rodriguez (1 goal, 0 assists)
Toni Kroos (0 goals, 2 assists)
Big-spenders Real Madrid look to have continued their habit of over-paying for players based on the performances of their summer signings so far. Although Toni Kroos plays a little deeper than Cesc Fabregas, he should be aiming for more in the way of assists and goals after the way he has played so superbly for Bayern Munich and Germany in recent times, while James Rodriguez looks to be suffering something of a hangover after his tremendous World Cup with Colombia. For a combined £83m, the pair have cost over £27.6m per goal contribution so far.
Arsenal (£51m)
Alexis Sanchez (3 goals, 1 assist)
Danny Welbeck (0 goals, 0 assists)
With Danny Welbeck only making his debut for Arsenal this weekend after his deadline day move from Manchester United, it is perhaps unsurprising that he is yet to register a goal or an assist. Still, Alexis Sanchez cost the club more than Chelsea spent on Diego Costa or Cesc Fabregas, and only has three goals and one assist to show for it so far, with this new attacking duo costing the Gunners £12.75m per goal contribution so far this season.
Atletico Madrid (£54.5m)
Mario Mandzukic (1 goal, 0 assists)
Antoine Griezmann (0 goals, 0 assists)
Alessio Cerci (0 goals, 0 assists)
Based on early-season performances so far, Atletico Madrid have spent precisely £54.5m for one goal from their new attacking players, with Mario Mandzukic the only summer signing to get off the mark yet. The Croatian international netted the winning goal in the Super Cup win over Real Madrid, but big names such as Antoine Griezman and Alessio Cerci are yet to register a contribution.
Liverpool (65m)
Mario Balotelli (0 goals, 0 assists)
Adam Lallana (0 goals, 0 assists)
Rickie Lambert (0 goals, 0 assists)
Lazar Markovic (0 goals, 0 assists)
The numbers make pretty grim reading for Liverpool fans, with their summer signings yet to make any significant impact in what has proven a difficult start to the season and life without Luis Suarez. The Reds have spent £3m more on attacking players than Chelsea have, and still have no goals or assists to show for it for any of these four new additions. In fairness, Lambert and Markovic have not been regulars so far, while Balotelli joined late and Lallana has been injured, but it could require some turnaround from this quartet to prove as smart signings as Chelsea’s new-boys.