)
The Chelsea coach has spoken out after Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp's comments on Chelsea's spending spree in the winter transfer window.
Chelsea stole the spotlight in what was one of the craziest January Transfer windows in recent times.
The West London club smashed every possible record of spending big on players after the Blues spent a whooping £326 million last month.
Chelsea’s incredible January splurge counted more than a third of the total £815million paid across the Premier League.
And it was reportedly more than all the clubs in the other four biggest European leagues - Spain, Germany, Italy and France put together.
According to an analysis by Football finance experts Deloitte, the record-busting January window took the total value of deals across the 20 clubs in the English top-flight this season to a staggering £2.78billion.
What Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have said about Chelsea’s January spend
)
With the Blues claiming the title of January’s biggest spenders, other managers in the Premier League, including title holders Pep Guardiola, and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp have reportedly criticized The Blues for splashing out a hefty amount in the window.
‘I say nothing without my lawyer. I don’t understand this part of the business but it’s a big number,’ Klopp was quoted to have said in a press conference.
‘They are all really good players so congratulations. I don’t understand how it’s possible, but it’s not for me to explain how it works.’ he added.
)
Meanwhile Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola suggested there is hypocrisy over how his club's spending is talked about compared to Chelsea's.
Asked about the Blues' transfer approach, Guardiola said: "None of my business. It's a surprise because it's not a state club.
“We won 11 titles in the last five years being one of the five or six net spend teams in the league."
And when quizzed further on what the reaction would be if City did the same, Guardiola explained: "I know what would happen. What I said, being the last fifth or sixth in the Premier League being net spending, we won 11 trophies - four Premier Leagues in five years.”
Graham Potter hits back at critics of Chelsea’s January spending spree
)
Chelsea coach Graham Potter, has recently hit back at the criticism, claiming other managers ‘don’t know the situation’.
Chelsea spent a whopping £600m since the summer transfer window, which is more than the other top 4 leagues combined.
Their huge spending raised questions and eyebrows among many personalities.
Potter claimed he expected criticism on Chelsea’s transfer spree.
‘It’s normal,’ Potter told Chelsea FC.com.
)
‘We’ve spent the money we’ve spent. The media aren’t going to let that go under the radar. All of football will be singing that song, that’s for sure. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. There’s free speech, which is good. I don’t worry about that.
‘Envy isn’t a good quality to have. I’ve never been envious of anybody. I’ve tried to work and do the best I can in the circumstances I have.
‘You’re best to compare to yourself rather than somebody else because you don’t know the context or the situation. I also understand that’s the world we’re in, and that’s fine by me
‘Most managers would love to be in my position,’ added Potter.
‘It’s a fantastic football club, and a really exciting time. You should never really compare yourself to somebody else because you don’t know their circumstances. All you can do is try to improve yourself.
‘Anybody that works here should be excited and grateful and happy, because it’s a fantastic football club.’
Chelsea have spent £550m since Todd Boehly's consortium purchased the west London club in May 2021.
The Blues capped the January window with the British-record arrival of £107m signing Enzo Fernandez from Benfica, having spent £88m on Mykhaylo Mudryk who arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk, £34m on Benoit Badiashile from Monaco, £30m on Noni Madueke from PSV, amongst a host of big-money young talent.
)
)
)
The Blues are currently ninth on the Premier League summit, 10 points off fourth-placed Newcastle and nine points off fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.
After being held to a goalless stalemate against Fulham at the Bridge last weekend, Graham Potter’s men will head to the London Stadium to play West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday, February 11, before turning their attention to Champions League football four days later when they travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund in the round of 16 stages.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)