As the transfer window closed yesterday, Chelsea were tenth in the table having picked up just seven points from their first five games. Hopes will have been high at Stamford Bridge before the new season kicked off, with the club doing solid business this summer. The arrival of Sterling from City and Cucurella from West Ham, while hardly marquee signings, were at least promising. Once the season got started, Koulibaly and then the last minute acquisitions of Aubameyang and Fofana only added to what at least on paper had been a successful window. The total invoice for all of the club's new signings? £278.4 million.
They'd better hope the spending pays off quickly, though. With defeats to Leeds and Southampton already chalked up, manager Tuchel has a lot on his plate. The German is currently fifth favorite with the bookmakers to be the next head coach shown the door. Ahead of him, at the top of that list, is Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers. As this chart using figures from Sky Sports shows, Rodgers has to do his job with a lot less financial support from the club's owners. The Foxes only spent £15 million this summer - bringing in just two new players, while also saying goodbye to talents such as first choice goalkeeper Schmeichel and the aforementioned Fofana, who left for Chelsea.
Also of note is Nottingham Forest. The newly promoted side has shown a lot of ambition in its transfer business before tackling the mammoth task of staying in the top flight. With spending of £157.3 million, buying them 19 players, Forest now have to justify their outlay on the pitch. So far, they have one win, one draw and three losses, but thanks to even poorer starts by other teams they are sitting in the survival zone in 15th at this early stage.
