Jamie Redknapp says Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea look like ‘a bunch of strangers’ as he slams Todd Boehly and Co for ‘spending £1.2billion to end up without a top striker or a good goalkeeper’

Jamie Redknapp was not impressed by Chelsea‘s first game of the Enzo Maresca era.

The Blues began life under their sixth manager in two years by losing 2-0 at home to Manchester City on Sunday.

Chelsea have signed nine players since the end of last season, having added 12 last summer and spent well in excess of £1billion on signings since Todd Boehly and Co bought the club in May 2022.

None of Chelsea’s new signings started against City but four – Renato Veiga, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Marc Guiu and Pedro Neto featured as substitutes.

Ironically, it was a player who was sold by Boehly who scored the decisive goal on Sunday. Mateo Kovacic – who left Chelsea in a £25million deal in June 2023 – found the net from long range in the 84th minute to wrap up City’s victory after Erling Haaland‘s first-half opener.

Former Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic scored Man City’s second goal at Stamford Bridge

Former Liverpool and Tottenham captain Redknapp was part of the Sky Sports punditry team at Stamford Bridge and he did not hold back in his post-match criticism of Maresca’s side.

‘This Chelsea team… it’s like you’ve thrown a bunch of strangers together and it’s very difficult to do that,’ said Redknapp. ‘You’re bringing on players off the bench, you’re trying to make things happen.

‘It’s going to take a lot of time for Maresca to get them playing how he wants and find out what his best XI is, because they have spent £1.2billion and they still haven’t got a top striker and I’m not even sure they’ve got a good goalkeeper.

‘For all the money they have spent they haven’t really filled probably two of the most important areas.’

Nicolas Jackson started as Chelsea’s lead striker on Sunday. The 23-year-old Senegal international only recorded one shot and was caught offside twice.

Meanwhile, Roberto Sanchez, who played the full 90 minutes against Chelsea, is one of six senior goalkeepers currently on the books at Stamford Bridge – along with Filip Jorgensen, 22, Marcus Bettinelli, 32, Dorde Petrovic, 24, Lucas Bergstrom, 21, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, 29.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp was not impressed by Chelsea’s performance on Sunday

Chelsea have spent well over £1billion since Todd Boehly became a co-owner in May 2022

Next up for Chelsea is a UEFA Europa Conference League clash with Swiss side Servette on Thursday night.

The Blues will then travel to Wolves three days later looking for their first Premier League points of the season.