With Chelsea struggling to secure Champions League football despite enormous spending, questions are being asked about the club’s direction. Liverpool’s ability to compete at the highest level while maintaining a structured wage model and efficient recruitment strategy presents a blueprint that Chelsea must follow. However, that will require significant changes at the top, including replacing the current sporting directors and adopting a smarter, more balanced approach to squad building.
Chelsea’s current wage structure and recruitment approach have come under scrutiny, especially after missing out on key targets like Michael Olise and Victor Osimhen. The club's spending has been enormous—over £1.4bn since the Clearlake takeover—yet the squad is still struggling to compete at the highest level.
Unlike Manchester City, Chelsea do not have the financial backing of a state and have a relatively small stadium, meaning they cannot afford to spend recklessly. This makes Liverpool the ideal model to follow. Despite lower wages and smaller transfer fees, Liverpool have won multiple major trophies over the past six years by using data-driven decision-making and employing elite sporting directors, such as Michael Edwards.
In contrast, Chelsea’s current sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, lack the experience or track record to justify their positions. Their inconsistent transfer strategy has left the squad unbalanced, and many of their signings have failed to make an impact. To compete sustainably, Chelsea must replace them with a proven, respected sporting director who can properly utilise data, build a balanced squad, and bring in experienced leaders.
The club must also address its revenue limitations. A stadium expansion is essential to increase matchday income, which will, in turn, allow for greater investment in players. Without this, Chelsea will fall behind financially, even compared to clubs like Tottenham.
Ultimately, Chelsea can have a structured wage model and still compete for the biggest trophies—but only if they improve recruitment, invest in experience, and build for long-term sustainability. The current approach is not working, and if Clearlake wants to see success on and off the pitch, decisive action is needed.
If Chelsea continue down their current path, they risk long-term decline. The blueprint for success exists—they just need the leadership and vision to implement it.
