Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko joining Arsenal is an example Chelsea must follow. He believes the Blues’ transfer strategy is slightly misplaced.
Arsenal raided Premier League rivals Manchester City to secure Mikel Arteta two key first-team upgrades in the summer. The Gunners paid £45m for Jesus after axing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Zinchenko then headed for north London for £32m.
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Both players have proven to be instrumental to Arteta’s plans at Emirates Stadium and fire Arsenal up the table. Jesus hit five goals and laid on six assists in 14 appearances before needing surgery after a knee injury. While Zinchenko is their first-choice left-back when fit.
Only Gabriel Martinelli, captain Martin Odegaard (7) and Bukayo Saka (6) have struck more Premier League goals for Arsenal than Jesus this season. While only Saka (6) has offered as many assists as the Brazilian under Arteta. Zinchenko has played 10 times and started nine.
The pair also took a proven Premier League-winning pedigree to north London after lifting four titles at Manchester City. Jesus and Zinchenko also have one FA Cup and four EFL Cup winners’ medals in their cabinets from decorated stints under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad.
Chelsea icon Hasselbaink points to Arsenal’s transfers for Jesus and Zinchenko
Hasselbaink feels Chelsea should have eyed transfers more in line with Arsenal’s deals for Jesus and Zinchenko last summer. Instead, with Thomas Tuchel still in charge, new owner Todd Boehly brought in a raft of young players. But he also funded some high-ticket deals.
“They want young, exciting and the best young players here and they’re looking for the future,” Hasselbaink told Sky Sports. “But you also need players who can come in and make the team better straight away, who can wear and handle the shirt and win games.”
He added: “You need players who have Premier League experience, players who have won medals. [Look at] what Arsenal have done with Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, what Manchester United have done with Casemiro. You need that at Chelsea.”
Chelsea have spent a lot on future stars, as well as some proven big names
Chelsea signed 21-year-old Wesley Fofana from Leicester City for £70m, rising up to £75m, in the summer. They also bought 24-year-old Marc Cucurella from Brighton & Hove Albion for £62m. While 18-year-old Carney Chukwuemeka joined from Aston Villa in a £20m deal.
Gabriel Slonina, 18, also arrived at Stamford Bridge from Chicago Fire for £12m. While the Blues brought in Aubameyang, 33, from Barcelona for £12m, Kalidou Koulibaly, 31, from Napoli for £33m and 27-year-old Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for £47.5m, too.
Yet the winter sales have already seen Chelsea spend yet further funds on their future to see Hasselbaink point to Arsenal’s transfer for Jesus and Zinchenko as the example for his former side to follow. Arteta, on the other hand, is yet to see a new star arrive in January.
Benoit Badiashile, 21, has just joined Chelsea from Monaco for £35m. He has also signed the longest contract in the club’s history at seven-and-a-half years. The defender followed David Datro Fofana, who left Molde for €12m (£10.5m), in now agreeing to join the Blues.
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