Graham Potter: January transfer window has changed Chelsea 'direction'

Graham Potter says Chelsea's recruitment during the 2023 January transfer window has set the team on a new course as they target immediate improvement.

After an initial honeymoon phase following Thomas Tuchel's sacking, Potter's fortunes at Chelsea have dipped with the Blues down in tenth in the Premier League.

However, huge amounts have been spent by Todd Boehly and co over the past month to bring in some of Europe's brightest prospects, including Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Benoit Badiashile.

While the club has been criticised for a perceived lack of strategy, Potter insisted there is method to Chelsea's spending.

He told Sky Sports: "Sometimes people can't see things and that's normal. From our perspective, we can see quite clearly in this window.

"You look at the age of the players, where they are in their careers, a combination of the investment in the transfer fee and salary has made good sense for us and where we're at. We've got a hungry group of players who are ready to help the team now and also grow and grow as the club develops.

"The players that we have signed, the age of them, we have changed the direction of the team to where they needed to go, it is now about making it function."

Chelsea remain in the Champions League with a last 16 tie with Borussia Dortmund to come but are out of both domestic cups and well off the top four pace. They face Fulham on Friday night, having only lost to the Cottagers in their first league meeting in mid January.

"Our ambition is to do as well as we can until the end of the season," Potter added. "Our ambition is never to finish fourth or third or second, our ambition is to win. We are trying to do that with the signings we have made, we have showed our intention. At the same time, we understand the process and position, and we have to keep working."

A deal for Argentina midfielder Fernandez eventually got over the line and Potter admitted his price tag soared due to his performances at the 2022 World Cup.

"We were aware of him before the World Cup, we knew of his qualities. He was one of those players we were thinking about and then we watched him at the World Cup and thought this could be a bit more expensive than we thought," he said.

"He's determined, humble, you can see how he plays football he has personality and character. He's played so many big games already at such a young age and moved away from his family and all that comes with it. He is a determined young man who knows what he wants, knows the game, wants to help the team and I look forward to getting to know him."