Let me get this straight, I’m not a Chelsea fan, but the way the club has handled this transfer window hurts me for some reason.

When I was growing up, Chelsea was always seen as the team that only spent money. Roman Abramovich
was the original “oil money” pumping machine in the Premier League before Manchester City. From what I understand, Chelsea are associated with high transfer spending. But the fact that the Blues sign a lot of players is not my problem. The fact that Chelsea have a squad big enough to field four different teams is not my problem.

The lack of respect shown to Cobham graduates this summer is…

Cobham is the heart and soul of Chelsea

Chelsea have always had a good academy. I have looked for a player countless times and then found out that he was trained in the ranks of Cobham. Take Jamal Musiala, for example. He had his breakthrough at Bayern Munich, but where did he develop the most? At Cobham. At Chelsea Football Club.

That pride has been a cornerstone of Chelsea’s identity for years. When discussing football with a Blues fan, they often come back to the club’s track record of producing world-class players through their academy. And rightly so – the success of their youth system is cause for celebration. It is testament to the club’s vision and ability to develop players who can compete at the highest levels of football. Not every player will make the first team at Chelsea, and that’s OK. But those who do should serve as examples of what young players can become. They should be the faces of Chelsea’s rich history and the pride they have in their academy.

But since Todd Boehly’s arrival, all that pride has gone. Chelsea Football Club is losing its soul before our eyes. The treatment of Trevoh Chalobah and Conor Gallagher was simply disgraceful. Two players who came through their ranks, established themselves as part of one of Europe’s most elite clubs and are definitely good enough to play for them, were pushed aside. Why? Because the club’s new owners buy what they want.

Excluding a player from training with the team is one thing. Excluding him because you want to force him out of the club he grew up in is another thing entirely. It screams that the club is soulless. It screams to the other young players at the club that this is not the right place to learn your craft. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is an exodus of young talent from the club in the next few years.

One moment you’re vice-captain of the club. The next day you’re not allowed to train and are basically forced to go somewhere else. How long before Reece James is shown the door and can’t train with his teammates because Boehly and co. have spent too much money and he’s the only saleable asset left? How long before Levi Colwill is told not to turn up for training and has to leave because they have too many defenders and they’re £50m short of PSR?

And they can claim they were forced to sell because of PSR and FFP. But honestly, none of that justifies the mistreatment of homegrown talent who gave everything for the club. The essence of Chelsea Football Club is being destroyed and what is left is an empty shell, a club where money matters more than tradition, loyalty or pride. A club that is turning its back on itself for no apparent reason. This is one of Europe’s most prestigious institutions and the work of one man and the board he appointed is slowly ruining it.

Perhaps the alleged impending transfer ban is the only thing that can save the soul of the club.