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News
- 2 hours ago
Chelsea are about to make a CATASTROPHIC transfer mistake
Cameron Smith
- Updated: 24 Nov 2025 14:23 GMT
- 7 min read
Analysis
Chelsea’s wonderkid transfer strategy is expected to continue in 2026 and the Blues are set to dip back into the market amid their pursuit of the best young talents in world football.
A total of €483.6 million has been spent on teenagers since Clearlake Capital and BlueCo arrived as the club’s new owners in 2022 and that figure is expected to increase further next year, despite the plethora of youngsters already on the Blues’ books.
Current ETV
Dastan Satpaev
F (C)
Kairat
Dastan Satpaev
F (C)
Kairat
ETV Range
€1.4M - €2.1M
Chelsea have already agreed deals for teenage trio Geovany Quenda, Dastan Satpaev and Denner to join the club in the summer of 2026, but they continue to be linked with the best prospects in the world ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
The Blues are unsurprisingly looking at all positions when it comes to possible new signings, although recent reports suggest that signing a centre forward could be on the agenda.
Stade Rennais wonderkid Mohamed Kader Meite was tipped as a potential target last month, while Marseille youngster Robinio Vaz is the latest young striker to be added to Chelsea’s transfer wishlist.
The 18-year-old has scored four goals and provided three assists in 17 senior appearances for Marseille and it has been claimed that Chelsea “plan” to sign him in January, with talks currently underway.
However, if Enzo Maresca’s side opt to finalise a deal for the France U20 international, it could go down as a major transfer error.
Why Chelsea shouldn’t sign Robinio Vaz in 2026
Chelsea seemingly have no problem with building an extremely bloated squad and they have also shown no remorse when it comes to forcing players out of the door over the past few years.
A ‘Bomb Squad’ has been formed for two consecutive summers at Stamford Bridge and it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Chelsea follow suit in 2026.
However, signing Vaz could go down as a huge transfer blunder. Of course, the Frenchman looks like a very exciting young centre forward, but his potential arrival could cause a domino effect that leads to Shumaira Mheuka leaving the club and that would be a catastrophe.
The England youth international joined Chelsea from Brighton & Hove Albion as a 14-year-old back in 2022 and he has since developed into one of the best striker prospects in the country.
Mheuka has scored a whopping 24 goals and provided three assists in just 20 games for club and country so far this season, with the teenager notably finding the back of the net on 11 occasions in seven matches for England U19s this term.
The Englishman has been handed the captain’s armband by Chelsea U21 boss Calum McFarlane this campaign and he has already racked up six first-team appearances for the Blues.
However, he is yet to establish himself as a regular and he has found his pathway to regular first-team minutes blocked by the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu.
Chelsea's striker options for 2026/27
| Player | Current Age |
|---|---|
| Joao Pedro | 24 |
| Liam Delap | 22 |
| Nicolas Jackson | 24 |
| Marc Guiu | 19 |
| Shumaira Mheuka | 18 |
| Emanuel Emegha | 22 |
| Dastan Satpaev | 17 |
With Emenuel Emegha arriving from Strasbourg next summer, Mheuka will drop even further down the pecking order, especially as Kairat wonderkid Dastan Satpaev, who has started all four of his side’s Champions League matches this season, will also join Chelsea in 2026.
Mheuka is one of the best young strikers in England and his form at youth level so far this campaign suggests he is set for a stellar career at the highest level. With competition for places already fierce at Chelsea, the Blues would therefore be foolish to hinder his development further by adding Vaz to their ranks next year.
Furthermore, Mheuka’s current contract in west London is due to expire in 2027 and Chelsea could risk losing him in a similar fashion to Rio Ngumoha if they decide to bring another young striker to the club rather than promoting the England U19 starlet.
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