Revealed: Why Chelsea didn’t sign James Maddison in £1 billion spending spree & left transfer path clear for Tottenham to complete £40m deal

The Blues have, with Todd Boehly helping to call shots from the boardroom, continued to invest heavily in new recruits. They have reinforced just about every area of their squad, with big-money deals completed for the likes of Raheem Sterling, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernandez, Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer.

They could have acquired the proven Premier League playmaker in the wake of Leicester’s relegation in 2022-23, but no move for Maddison was made. That left the path clear for London rivals Tottenham to swoop in – with the England international registering two goals and a couple of assists through his first five games for Spurs on the back of a £40m ($50m) transfer.

According to The Telegraph, Chelsea opted against moving for Maddison as he does fit the club’s current recruitment model. It is claimed that the Blues were only looking to bring in players over the summer that are under 25 years of age – which rules Maddison out as he will turn 27 in November.

Chelsea have put a long-term strategy in place, with the plan being to benefit from the potential possessed by their new recruits over several years, but questions may be asked of why they are not looking to blend youth with experience – especially as their struggles for goals and creativity are well documented.