Graham Potter hits back at Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp over Chelsea transfer spend
Graham Potter does not care what Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp think of Chelsea massive spending in the transfer window.
Because everyone at Stamford Bridge, and especially the Blues’ new mega-money signings, will have to get used to jibes, particularly when the chips are down.
Friday, Liverpool manager Klopp joked that he would only discuss Chelsea’s expenditure in the presence of a lawyer.
When asked what people would say about Manchester City spending £323 million on new players during the January transfer window, Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, grumbled: “I know what would happen.”
But Potter, who heard visiting Fulham fans chant “What a waste of money” at £107m signing Enzo Fernandez during Friday’s goalless draw, said: “It’s not just Enzo who will have to get used to it, it’s the whole team.
“It’s normal because we’ve spent the money we’ve spent. The media aren’t going to let that go under the radar, so all of football will be singing that song, that’s for sure.
“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. It’s a free world, it’s free speech, which is good. [Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp] are entitled to their opinion. I don’t worry too much about that. They’ve got their right to speak. And that’s fair enough.”
Evident from Friday’s London derby was that Potter and his struggling team will not benefit immediately from the expenditure.
Fernandez performed admirably, but Mikhailo Mudryck, suffering from a cold, was ineffective and replaced at halftime, and the best player on the field, Thiago Silva, arrived in 2020 via a free transfer.
However, loanee Joao Felix will be available to play against West Ham on Saturday after completing a three-game suspension for the red card he received on his debut against Fulham last month.
As a result of Chelsea’s inability to sell any players before the transfer window closed, Potter must now manage a massive squad. He added: “January is very complicated. As I’ve said before, you’d want things to be more optimal.
“But, at the same time, we know the situation we’re in, we know the transition period that we’re in, so it’s always going to be a case of managing in challenging circumstances.
“But I’m certainly not complaining, it’s exciting. It’ll test me, it’ll test my attributes and my quality, and that’s something to be happy for. You see the profile of the players that we brought in.
“They’re excited, they’re excited for the now but also they can improve and get better as the team develops. It’s an investment from both parties. It’s a long-term commitment. So we need some stability. We need some work. We need to progress the team. And that’s the challenge.”
Only Chelsea’s owners know whether Potter will be given the time he needs to advance the team, but they are adamant that he has their support. However, when asked if he could provide a timeline, he responded, “I’d be lying if I could say that.
“I don’t think anybody can give you a timescale, any amount of time. I could put it this way, if I could get a month for every time I’ve been asked that question, then I’ll be here for five years’.”
Graham Potter hits back at Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp over Chelsea transfer spend
