Neville calls out Chelsea for overspending on two major signings; Potter left asking ‘what’s going on’

Gary Neville believes Chelsea overspent on two Todd Boehly signings and has also questioned whether Blues boss Graham Potter really knows what is going on at the club.

American businessman Boehly has spent almost £600million on new additions at Stamford Bridge since buying the club from Roman Abramovich last year.

And while Neville is impressed with some of the talent in west London, he also labeled Boehly’s strategy as ‘chaotic’ and in some ways similar to when Ed Woodward came in at Manchester United and tried to sign ‘everyone’.

In terms of which two players Neville thinks the Blues paid too big a premium to get, Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez are the names mentioned.

Chelsea spent £64million on full-back Cucurella last summer, while Fernandez became the most expensive signing in Premier League history in a £107m deal from Benfica in January.

And speaking on The Overlap, Neville said: “To me, Todd Boehly smacks of Ed Woodward when he first came to Manchester United and wanted to sign everyone. It felt like that at Chelsea in the summer and it was chaotic.

“Marc Cucurella for £64m and Enzo Fernandez for £107m. That’s a full-back and a midfielder who will sit at the base of a three.

“The ceiling on those types of players – like Rodri, Fabinho, Casemiro – they are £50-60m positions.

“These aren’t players that are playing in the forward part of the pitch and scoring you 30 goals. So what they’re paying for the positions, what they’re getting for the money, they just seem like strange transfers.

“I’m not saying the players are no good. They could be really good and could go on to be great. But the fees for players in those positions seem mad to me.”

Despite all lavish spending over the last two windows, Potter’s men are languishing down in ninth spot in the Premier League table. They are also 10 points outside the Champions League positions.

Potter left fearing for his job

That led Jamie Carragher to point out that ‘spending money doesn’t guarantee success’, adding that Potter will already be fearing for his job.

The former Liverpool defender said: “Spending this money hasn’t made Chelsea better yet. Just look at where they are in the league. Spending money doesn’t guarantee success.

“Manchester City have spent an awful lot of money but have had great expertise with different managers.

“Manchester United is a great example of this from the other side of it . You look at their spending over the last ten years, there’s not much of a difference between themselves and Man City.

“With Chelsea, from Graham Potter’s point of view he must be thinking: ‘what is going on here?’

“You can dress it up like he’s delighted with a big squad and having all these great players coming in. But he’ll be worried for his job.”

Chelsea are back in Premier League action on Saturday when they head to London rivals West Ham.

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