Revealed: Chelsea stars already 'regret' signing long-term contracts after losing faith in 'grand project' - with Mauricio Pochettino's tactics dividing the squad

The Blues have invested heavily in recent transfer windows, with over £1 billion ($1.3bn) being spent on fresh faces since Roman Abramovich agreed to sell the club in 2022. There has been little progress on the field in west London since then, with a humbling tumble into mid-table mediocrity being taken.

Chelsea have acquired plenty of potential and pedigree, with the likes of Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Mkyhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke being snapped up. According to The Athletic, some of the new arrivals “regret” committing to Premier League heavyweights for quite so long – with seven and eight-year contracts being handed out.

There is said to be a “toxic mix” at Stamford Bridge, with the vision of ambitious owners not being shared by those in the dressing room. It is also claimed that co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali are not on the friendliest of terms – although Chelsea have been quick to refute such talk.

More big decisions do lie in store, though, with the Blues slipping into the bottom-half of the Premier League table this season. Questions are being asked of Mauricio Pochettino’s future a matter of months after taking the reins, but he is expected to last until at least the summer – when there will only be 12 months left on his deal.

Some of those in the Chelsea squad are said to have concerns about the lack of tactical advice being offered by an under-fire coaching team, with many “playing off the cuff”, and it may be that things get worse in west London before they begin to get better.