Chelsea fans have waited for a long time to see the club's confusing transfer strategy bring success, but suddenly, it has begun to bear fruit.
With an incredibly young squad that has just won its second title in just a few months, The Blues are preparing to make a relatively large profit from a player sale deal.
Noni Madueke is about to complete a £52 million transfer to Arsenal. The deal will earn Chelsea more than £20 million after signing Madueke from PSV for £30.5 million in January 2023.
With the clear success finally proven on the pitch, the Blues' leadership will believe that their approach to the transfer market is working.
The truth is that not many Chelsea fans were surprised by the news of Madueke's departure. His move to a formidable London rival may be upset to some, but the reality is that Madueke has been so inconsistent that no one can argue about the transfer fee.
Since joining Stamford Bridge more than 2 years ago, this winger has proven his potential through each stage. However, Madueke's 20 goals and 9 assists in 90 appearances are not enough to convince the club to reject a profit of more than £20 million.
Madueke has only really become a regular starter in the second half of last season. His best performance was definitely a hat-trick against Wolves in August last year.
While coach Enzo Maresca has almost controlled the young and self-conscious squad, Madueke's discipline is clearly a problem behind the scenes.
Therefore, selling Madueke is meaningful in terms of finances, sports and discipline for Chelsea. And this is also one of the first pieces of evidence that their confusing transfer strategy can be effective.
In recent years, Chelsea have gradually abandoned the policy of spending big on stars, a model that became famous under former President Roman Abramovich. Instead, they recruited a series of young talents to look forward to the future.
Selling players outside the box for profit is another key part of the strategy. This is shown by the fact that The Blues are ready for Madueke to leave - a player who is not really necessary and the development process is slowing down.
There is no denying that Madueke will explode at the Emirates and this decision is unintentional. However, that is a calculated risk that Chelsea are willing to accept.
Maresca has always affirmed that the club is " ahead of schedule". And now, with a young squad capable of competing with the strongest teams, it seems that he and the Blues leadership are right.
