Former Chelsea star Glen Johnson has delivered a damning verdict on the club's summer business, labelling the £40 million acquisition of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United a clear "mistake".
Summer spending spree fails to deliver
The criticism comes after another period of astonishing expenditure at Stamford Bridge last summer, where the Blues splashed out close to £300 million on new recruits. While young Brazilian Estevao Willian has shown promise, several other big-money signings have struggled to make an immediate impact.
Striker Liam Delap has found the net just once in the Premier League, while defender Jorrel Hato has been limited to only two league starts. The most expensive arrival, £60 million striker Joao Pedro, has seven goals in all competitions but faces questions over his consistency.
Garnacho's underwhelming start in West London
According to Johnson, who won the Premier League with Chelsea, the most significant disappointment has been Alejandro Garnacho. The 21-year-old Argentina international was once hailed as a future star at Old Trafford and his move to London was initially praised.
However, his output has been minimal. Garnacho has scored only one Premier League goal this season, adding just three more in cup competitions against lesser opposition. "I think Alejandro Garnacho has been disappointing since he signed for Chelsea," Johnson stated in an interview with Metro on behalf of WDW Bingo.
He elaborated, "It was a mistake to sign him, and not because of his ability, as I think he is talented, but Chelsea have an abundance of great wingers. He can cause havoc on his day, for sure, but one goal so far this season just isn't enough for the money they spent on him."
Pressure mounts after managerial change
The scrutiny on these signings intensifies given Chelsea's current predicament. Despite winning the Conference League last season and the Club World Cup in the summer, a frustrating first half of the 2025/26 campaign led to the sacking of manager Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day.
The club, languishing in eighth place, has now turned to former Strasbourg and Hull City boss Liam Rosenior. His primary task is to guide the expensively-assembled squad back into the Champions League qualification spots, a challenge that hinges on underperforming stars like Garnacho finding their form.
Johnson also cast doubt on whether Joao Pedro could be the long-term answer up front, saying, "On his day, I think Joao Pedro can be the striker that Chelsea requires. But I'm just not sure his day comes often enough... if Pedro wants to be the number nine for a club like Chelsea, you have to perform week in week out."
As Chelsea's new era under Rosenior begins, the club's massive investment is yet to translate into sustained Premier League success, leaving former players like Johnson to question the logic behind their record-breaking transfer strategy.
