Chelsea Are Showing Man Utd Up With Their Transfer Activity This Summer

Manchester United and Chelsea both finished the 2019/20 season on 66 points and both achieved their main target for the campaign: Champions League qualification.

But this shouldn't take away from the fact that both clubs finished a country mile behind title winners Liverpool - 33 points to be precise. That's half of their overall points tallies which is...well, a fair amount.

Meanwhile, Manchester City - who were disappointing at points - still finished some 15 points clear of United and Chelsea. All of the above tells you that are changes required at both clubs this summer if they wish to close the gap on the top two for 2020/21.

Of course, this isn't a normal summer transfer window. Considering the current financial climate, a smart transfer strategy would need to be adopted in order to land first-choice targets, while departures would also be required.

While both Chelsea and Man Utd came into the summer window in need of reinforcements, they have taken two polar opposite approaches to the market so far.

Indeed, the Blues appear to be taking the Football Manager approach, even despite the financial impact of the global pandemic. United, meanwhile, set out as though they meant business, identifying their three main targets and looking in a strong position to complete each deal. But they are yet to even make a single signing and are currently as far away from signing a star name as they have been all summer.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have been efficient.

The west London club have already signed Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner, while Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva (is that it?!) are also set to follow them through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Oh, and did we forget to mention they have also agreed personal terms with exciting young defender Malang Sarr? No? Right, ok, well there's that as well, then.

As for United, they have been linked with a move for Jadon Sancho for what feels like an eternity, while just about every winger in European football has also been mentioned as a possible alternative should they fail to land the Englishman. Elsewhere, the Red Devils were keen to bring Jude Bellingham to Old Trafford, but he chose Borussia Dortmund instead.

Jack Grealish has also caught the eye of those at United, but Aston Villa are holding firm on their £80m valuation.

One of the key differences between United and Chelsea's approach to the transfer market this summer has been the willingness to meet a club's asking price. Take Werner or Havertz for example, the Blues were aware of the amount it would take to bring both players to the club and haven't hesitated as they are aware of the long-term benefits of making the deal happen quickly.

This comes in stark contrast to United, however.

Dortmund have held firm on their £108m valuation of Sancho, but rather than accepting that it will cost a fair amount to bring their number one target to the club, they have attempted - and failed - to take control of the negotiations and have shown no real desire to complete a deal.

This is a 20-year-old who managed 20 goals and 20 assists in all competitions last season. While they may be parting ways with a fair amount of money, they are in the perfect position to sign the player they have identified as being the man to help take the club to the next level.

Chelsea recognised this with Havertz and quickly found a deal with Bayer Leverkusen that suited both parties. The transfer is expected to be completed imminently. United, however, appear to be distracted and unwilling to even come up with a reasonable counter-offer.

Elsewhere, the Old Trafford club's interest in Grealish has dragged on and they are now facing the prospect of not signing him due to the hefty asking price. If United had acted quicker, they wouldn't be in this position. In contrast, Frank Lampard made Chilwell his number one left-back target this summer and while they were quoted as much as £80m at one stage for his services by Leicester, they are now close to sealing a deal for around £50m.

But for all the money Chelsea have spent so far this summer, perhaps the shrewdest piece of business is the impending signing of Thiago Silva on a free transfer. A deal has been agreed and the player is expected to complete his move in the coming days. Chelsea will be getting a proven winner, who will bring experience and leadership to the team. And they will do so without paying a transfer fee.

The club also reached an agreement to sign the Brazilian in just a matter of days, that's all it took. Now, we're not saying United should have tried to sign Silva, but merely that this deal encapsulates all that has been good about Chelsea in the transfer market this summer - and equally, all things bad about United's approach.

The Blues identified Silva as the centre-back they need in the short-term and acted swiftly to make it happen. Man Utd, meanwhile, are watching on as time passes them by without taking any kind of decisive action. If Grealish is out of their reach, an alternative target should already be lined up.

Perhaps Donny van de Beek is that man. The versatile Dutch midfielder is available for around £40m (half of what Villa are asking for), and he would bring everything Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is after. At this moment in time, the Red Devils are seemingly continuing to weigh up their options, but this simply isn't good enough at this stage. Decisive action must be taken.

Now, of course, one of the main reasons Chelsea are actually capable of signing so many star names this summer is down to the fact that they have/will offload a number of players. Willian and Pedro have both already left, while the likes of Emerson, Tiemoué Bakayoko, Davide Zappacosta, Danny Drinkwater and a number of others are also expected to depart this summer.

As for United, the likes of Chris Smalling, Jesse Lingard, Phil Jones and Andreas Pereira among others are expected to be sold - but there has been no movement on this front yet either. Sure, Alexis Sanchez has been sold permanently to Inter now, but considering the Italian giants were keen to sign him after impressing during a loan spell, this was hardly down to United's tactics in the negotiations.

Man Utd are showing no ambition at this moment in time, with regards to their incomings and outgoings. They have the money to make the Sancho deal happen, but unlike Chelsea have done with Havertz, they are trying to play hard ball with a club who have no obligation to sell unless their valuation is met. It's proven unsuccessful and it will cost them.

Few would have claimed during the 2019/20 season that Chelsea could challenge for the league title next term, but considering their transfer activity so far, this has become a possibility. United desperately want to be part of that discussion once again, but the difference at this moment in time is the Blues are showing the necessary ambition to get back to the top.

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