Our Chief Football Correspondent, left, assesses Chelsea’s latest acquisitions and considers their impact on an already numerous squad
“Juan Sebastián Verón will almost certainly sign for Chelsea. It is just a matter of dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s. The structure of the deal between Manchester United and Chelsea starts with a £12.5 million downpayment with a further £2.5 million to follow depending on Chelsea’s success in future seasons.
“Verón rarely played at his peak during his spell at Manchester United, the obvious reason being Sir Alex Ferguson’s difficulty in incorporating him into an established midfield. Certainly there were compatability problems in playing both Verón and Roy Keane in the same side.
“It will be interesting to see how Verón starts his career at Chelsea. He could suffer an enduring disappointment at not having had a bigger impact at Old Trafford. Undoubtedly, he will be Chelsea’s main creative force, and knowing that he has been treading water for too long may induce the world-class performances that many people in the game know he is capable of.
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“Chelsea have now spent about £58 million for seven new players this summer and predicting their starting 11 for the season-opener against Liverpool is pure guesswork.
“However, successful teams have big squads, and Chelsea’s involvement in the Champions League and the cup competitions should appease the majority of their enhanced squad.
“Roman Abramovich has clearly set his agenda for the future of Chelsea and, despite running a plethora of potential new recruits past his manager, Claudio Ranieri, rumours persist that regardless of any success the Italian brings to Stamford Bridge this season, he is likely to make way for Sven-Göran Eriksson next year.
“The spending is unlikely to stop. Chelsea are still on the lookout for a top quality defensive midfielder in the Patrick Vieira or Roy Keane mould to complement their new attacking options. They may well succeed in winning the Premiership, but it is unlikely to be this season because Manchester United and Arsenal still have the best players with the knowledge of what it takes to win a title.”