Mauricio Pochettino has warned big transfer fees will not guarantee players a place in Chelsea’s starting XI after the club’s summer spending surpassed £350million.
Significant headway was made earlier in the window on reducing the size of a squad that was heavily bloated last season, but eight incoming signings together with players returning from loan has meant the size of the first team remains almost unchanged.
Southampton’s Romeo Lavia and long-time target Moises Caicedo, signed on Monday from Brighton for a British record £115million, are the latest recruits to Pochettino’s playing staff.
Graham Potter and Frank Lampard both voiced their frustration at the negative effect that having too many available players had on their job last season and Pochettino has already found himself fielding similar queries.
The manager was bullish in his response ahead of Sunday’s trip to face West Ham, placing responsibility firmly at the door of his new recruits to repay the club’s faith and financial outlay in order to force themselves into his plans.
“Players that aren’t happy and don’t want to fight for their place, to be part of the team, playing or not playing, the door is open (to leave),” he said.
“The players have a clear idea that they need to compete for their place and then it’s the coach that is going to decide who are the best for every single game.
“It’s not that (if) we sign a player and we spend big money, that they are sure to play. I don’t tell Moises or Lavia ‘you are going to play, (whether) you are good or bad’. It’s not like this, football.
“Talented players, players that the club spends money on, they need to show every day that they deserve to play.
“My job is to be fair with everyone in the squad. You sign a player on an eight-year contract and after (that) he doesn’t run, is not involved, no commitment – is he going play? That is our job. It’s our judgement.
“I have the support of the owner, I have the support of the sporting director, so far. They need to trust in our judgement. It’s not the people of social media, it’s our judgement.”
Chelsea have pursued a policy of awarding unusually long contracts during the ownership of Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium, with deals of between six and eight years now commonplace at the club.
Pochettino was asked how easy it would be to get rid of players on lengthy deals who are unwilling to work for their place in the side.
“If you have an eight-year contract, you need to be responsible,” he said.
“Players need to show respect, need to show commitment, need to show the performance that we expect from them. If not, they’re not going to play.
“The player cannot be upset. If we sign a player and give an eight-year contract and then the player is not going to do what we expect or what he needs to do and then he doesn’t play, it’s because of him, not because of us.
“They need to give their best and for sure if they have the talent that we assume and we paid for them, they are going to play.”
Sunshine Snacks inks three-year sponsorship deal with Jamaica Premier League
Sunshine Snacks, a leading regional snack brand, has announced a landmark 3-year sponsorship agreement with the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
As part of this partnership, Sunshine Snacks will also become the designated club sponsor for Montego Bay United, a team with a storied legacy and a strong presence in Jamaican football.
This collaboration underscores Sunshine Snacks’ commitment to fostering growth and success across the Jamaica Premier League while providing critical support to Montego Bay United as they focus on rebuilding and achieving sustained success.
Shantell Hill-Afonso, Marketing Manager, Jamaica for Sunshine Snacks, shared her enthusiasm.
"We at Sunshine Snacks are thrilled to partner with the Jamaica Premier League and Montego Bay United, currently performing well in the league. Montego Bay has always been a focus for us as a brand, which made this sponsorship a perfect fit. This partnership goes beyond branding; it is about nurturing talent, impacting lives, and building stronger communities through football. With our offices located in Montego Bay, this collaboration allows us to support the team on and off the field, creating meaningful connections in the community," Hill-Afonso said.
"We’re also excited to bring Sunshine Snacks products to all Jamaica Premier League matches, creating a fun and engaging experience for fans. Football and snacks go hand in hand, and products like our Sunshine Peanuts will refuel everyone. This partnership allows us to connect with communities across Jamaica in a way that is both meaningful and enjoyable," she added.
Neymar should have won five Ballons d'Or, claims Buffon
Neymar should have won the Ballon d'Or five times, so says Gianluigi Buffon.
Italy great Buffon played alongside Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain for a season in 2018-19.
Neymar joined PSG in a world-record transfer from Barcelona in 2017, but was unable to drive the French club to their maiden Champions League trophy.
He left in 2023 to join Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, but has hardly featured for the Asian giants. He is back on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, having only just returned from a year-long lay-off after sustaining an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.
Neymar was tipped for greatness when he moved to Europe from Santos, but despite a glittering career, especially at Barcelona, he never has managed to win the Ballon d'Or.
And that is something that upsets his former club-mate Buffon.
"It's hard to pick a rival," Buffon told Corriere della Sera
"I've played against three generations: Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta… Choose one? Neymar.
"For the player he is and the person he is, he should have won five Ballons d'Or."
Even at PSG, Neymar was often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe.
When Messi joined that deadly duo in 2021, meanwhile, the trio could not have the impact on the European stage that PSG's Qatari owners would have wished for.
Palestine hold South Korea as Japan down China in World Cup qualifying
Son Heung-min scored but South Korea were held to a 1-1 draw by Palestine in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday.
Tottenham forward Son netted in the 16th minute at Amman International Stadium in Jordan.
That came four minutes after Palestine had taken the lead through Zeid Qunbar.
Yet South Korea could not build on that momentum. Despite finishing with 15 shots, they accumulated only 0.84 expected goals (xG).
South Korea, who are six points clear in qualification Group B, had five shots on target, with Son having four of them, as Palestine held on for a memorable result.
In Group C, Japan consolidated their lead with a 3-1 defeat of China in Xiamen.
Koki Ogawa scored twice, opening the scoring and netting Japan's third.
Ko Itakura put Japan 2-0 up on the stroke of half-time, with Lin Liangming pulling one back for China early in the second half.
The match was briefly disrupted as some spectators ran onto the pitch.
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