Chelsea added to their impressive transfer business this summer by signing Zakaria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the deadline day of the summer transfer window.
Zakaria joined Juventus last winter from Borussia Mönchengladbach for £4.5 million. He made 11 appearances for Juventus scoring one goal. The Swiss international joined Chelsea on a season-long loan till the end of the season with an option to buy for £30 million.
The blues could also sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona on the deadline day after paying £10 million, plus Marcos Alonso. The Gabonese international signed a 2-year contract with Chelsea with an option to extend for another year.
Aubameyang was given the number 9 jersey.
Chelsea’s signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes Chelsea’s lack of a focal point in their attack had been clear in their last five matches. The blues now rely on Raheem Sterling as their source of goals as the former Manchester City attacker had scored 3 out of 6 Chelsea goals this season.
What did Todd Boehly say about Chelsea’s signing of Zakaria and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the deadline day?
“Denis is a talented midfielder with lots of quality and skill.
“He will add depth and range to our squad this season, and we are looking forward to watching him play in Chelsea blue,” Todd Boehly said on the signing of Zakaria.
“Pierre-Emerick is an elite striker with a proven track record in the Premier League and his arrival strengthens our squad, giving us new attacking options,” On the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the American Boehly added.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has also praised the new Chelsea owner for their commitment to the transfer market.
The blues are the most spending club in the Premier League, with over £220 million spent in the transfer market.
Tuchel said: “It was absolutely turbulent, but there was no choice not to do it because the situation was the situation. We were sanctioned. We were very late in the market. We did not know what was going to happen, what is possible, which player leaves us, which player does not leave us, and what is then possible. Of course, everybody took this responsibility.
“The new owners stepped in and did not sleep at all. You can call it a distraction, a shift of focus. Of course, it was like this.
That’s why I’m happy it’s closed now and the focus shifts completely to the team, coaching and influencing, and pushing the team to the limit. There is nobody to blame. No other option than doing it the way we did it. I think we got very good players, very high quality and profile. Good personalities. From now on, it’s okay. We need to build this team.”
