Since Todd Boehly and his consortium acquired Chelsea in 2022, the London club has adopted an aggressive, ambitious and, for many, chaotic business model. With a huge investment in gs - more than 1 billion euros in the last three transfer windows - the aim has been clear: to return the club to the top of European soccer. However, the road is not easy and is not without contradictions.
One of the most striking features of this new era has been the massive accumulation of footballers. Chelsea currently have 55 professional players on their books, a figure that breaks with any standard in European football. This overpopulation of the squad is also reflected in the day-to-day running of the club: in regular training sessions, up to 30 players are involved, a real headache for any coach.
In this context, Enzo Maresca has taken on the challenge with intelligence and group management. In his first season in charge, the Italian coach has managed to lead Chelsea back to the Champions League thanks to a great season in the Premier League. But his work has not been limited to the domestic tournament: he has also guided the team to the final of the Conference League, alternating between two different groups of players for each competition.
The two-team model
This double squad has not only been a logistical necessity, but also a strategy to keep players motivated in such an extensive squad. Maresca, a disciple of Pellegrini, has handled the rotations intelligently, building two competitive groups without losing cohesion or tactical identity.
Boehly's business model seeks to build a dominant long-term project, relying on young gs, long contracts and a more business-like approach more typical of American sport, especially the NFL. However, not all the moves have worked out. The mix of inexperience, lack of continuity and pressure has left several big-money gs without justifying their price or their projection.
The big question being asked in England, where more and more American investors are arriving, is whether this model is sustainable in the long term. Qualification for the Champions League and a possible European conquest in the Conference League could be the turning point for a Chelsea side that wants to get back to the top, but still needs to translate its financial muscle into a coherent sporting structure.