For the last two decades, Chelsea have sought to dominate the transfer market one way or another. When Roman Abramovich rocked up at Stamford Bridge in 2003, he immediately dropped £120 million - roughly £220m in today's money with inflation taken into account - on new players, catapulting the Blues from mere top-four contenders into an elite class capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League. Even despite being banned from spending for two windows from 2019 to 2020, the west London club have still forked out upwards of £2bn since.
In the BlueCo era, Chelsea have continued to splash the cash, though on younger talent rather than proven superstars, ditching their Galactico-lite policy for one more resembling an expensive Brighton. After three years in the wilderness of transition, they have started to show signs of consistent improvement and re-established themselves as an exciting team with the potential to challenge for major honours.
After already acquiring Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Liam Delap in the first mini-window of June, Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens and versatile Brighton attacker Joao Pedro are set to be next in through the Cobham doors. Again, Chelsea's prolific spending has been questioned, but there is a little more method behind their madness this time around.
