Chelsea verdict: Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly debuts prove Todd Boehly right to back Thomas Tuchel on transfers
WHEN Roman Abramovich packed his bags, many wondered how Chelsea were going cope in the transfer market.
New American owner Todd Boehly has no experience of European football.
And some argued his position was weakened when Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech also departed Stamford Bridge.
But Boehly wanted his first transfer window to rest entirely in the hands of Thomas Tuchel.
It’s a rare thing for a Chelsea boss to get a say when it comes to signings.
However, Tuchel is a Champions League winner who deserves the chance to build a squad in his image.
And in Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, the German has hit the nail on the head as both had fine debuts in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Everton.
Gone up front is Romelu Lukaku and his bad attitude, terrible touch and concrete boots.
Sterling was like a breath of fresh air in the final third against Everton, gliding in and around their five-man defence at pace.
Determined to drive his team forward, Sterling was at the heart of every good attacking Chelsea move.
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And being signed for under £50million, with the peak of his career yet to come, has to go down as excellent business.
But Tuchel also got it right when it came to replacing Antonio Rudiger, a key figure in his team the past 18 months.
Supporters of Koulibaly were brushed off as “Fifa fans” when Napoli finally gave him up, with the defender’s best days apparently behind him.
Yet Koulibaly’s performance against Everton was so composed that one would be forgiven for forgetting Rudiger occupied the same space.
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The Afcon winner appeared to exert almost no sweat as he stemmed almost every Everton attack.
Koulibaly was also dominant going forward, showing off a tidy range of passes and dribbles while also bombing into the box.
Chelsea’s transfer window had been written off by many given the amount of players who reportedly rejected them.
But if Sterling and Koulibaly are anything to go by, Tuchel also has the magic touch in the negotiating room.
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Indeed, new £62m man Marc Cucurella didn’t put a foot wrong in his 15-minute cameo at Goodison Park, looking energetic and sharp.
And if Tuchel wants Wesley Fofana for £85m, as well as any other signings this month, who’s to question him?