Gary Neville has claimed there is still a clear issue in Chelsea’s squad despite the London club’s ‘staggering’ spending under Todd Boehly.
American businessman Boehly spent more than £250 million in his first transfer window in charge at the Stamford Bridge last summer.
Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, Koulibaly and Cucurella were among the big-money signings to arrive at the club ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
Despite the investment, the Blues have underwhelmed in the Premier League, slipping 10 points outside Champions League places in ninth.
Chelsea’s underwhelming form cost Thomas Tuchel his job at the club but his replacement – former Brighton boss Graham Potter – is also struggling to get a tune out of the squad.
Boehly oversaw another huge spending spree in the January transfer window, with Chelsea spending almost £300m on the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Mudryk.
Neville says Chelsea’s transfer strategy ‘doesn’t feel right’ and has told Boehly he will have to spend more money in the summer to solve their ‘problem’.
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Also, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has flopped at Stamford Bridge, as did Lukaku who was Chelsea’s record signing before Fernandez.
Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, the former Manchester United player said: ‘With Chelsea, they need time. They’ve got new owners, a new manager and new players.
‘You can’t get away from this staggering spending. I’m not sure about it, it doesn’t feel right to me. ‘Disrespectful’ Man Utd team-mate blamed for Casemiro’s costly red card
‘I’m not buying the eight-year contracts either, it comes with great risk. I don’t see how an eight-year contract can be honoured if the player progresses.
‘The owners could look like the smartest people in the room in two years or they could look pretty stupid. I don’t think it will be somewhere in-between.
‘We have to allow time to see how this plays out. They’ve signed some very talented young players, I like Badiashile and Mudryk has shown great promise.
‘Fernandez has got a lot of promise and his numbers are big in terms of what you want your midfielder to do.
‘There is promise at Chelsea but they have got a problem at centre-forward and that needs dealing with so there’s going to be another load of money spent in the summer unless they’re thinking of bringing Lukaku back.
‘It’s interesting times at Chelsea but something doesn’t feel right and when something doesn’t feel right it’s usually not. But we need to see how it plays out over the next 18 months.’
