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Chelsea<\/a> and Strasbourg came together under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s BlueCo group in 2023.<\/p>\n Across the first two years Strasbourg got the best of the deal. <\/p>\n Six players left Chelsea<\/a> for the French club, five on loan and one permanently. <\/p>\n Strasbourg were able to spend money they could only have dreamed about.<\/p>\n In the three years before BlueCo, Strasbourg’s total transfer fees paid per season were \u00a36.1m, \u00a33.9m and \u00a39.5m.<\/p>\n In the following three seasons Strasbourg spent \u00a352.6m, \u00a353.6m and \u00a396.5m. They were the biggest-spending club in France last summer, outgunning even Paris St-Germain (\u00a389.2m).<\/p>\n Those additional resources helped Strasbourg challenge for a place in the Champions League last season.<\/p>\n But last summer the way the two clubs did business began to change. The pendulum would swing towards the dominant MCO partner in Chelsea<\/a>. <\/p>\n Take central defender Mamadou Sarr, who in June joined Chelsea from Strasbourg<\/a> on a permanent deal.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old made only one appearance for Chelsea<\/a> as a substitute at the Fifa Club World Cup. <\/p>\n In August he went back to Strasbourg on loan. On Monday he was recalled by Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n BlueCo would argue this is a key part of player development – that Sarr would get regular football at Strasbourg and return to Stamford Bridge a better player. <\/p>\n Then there is the case of Ishe Samuels-Smith. <\/p>\n The left-back moved from Chelsea<\/a> to Strasbourg in July. He was then re-signed by Chelsea<\/a> in September – and immediately loaned to Swansea City<\/a>.<\/p>\n In the world of multi-club ownership there is logic to it. <\/p>\n With Ben Chilwell not part of Enzo Maresca’s plans the full-back was sent to Strasbourg on a free transfer. The Ligue 1 club had also resolved a contract dispute with another defender, Ismael Doukoure.<\/p>\n It left Samuels-Smith as a spare part in Alsace. <\/p>\n Rather than leave the 19-year-old struggling for first-team football, Chelsea<\/a> effectively refunded the \u00a36.5m transfer fee and sent him to the Championship club.<\/p>\n Club captain Emmanuel Emegha is already confirmed to be the next on the conveyor belt to Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n The 20-year-old striker, one of BlueCo’s first signings at Strasbourg, will join Chelsea<\/a> at the end of the season.<\/p>\n The club’s ultras – long-time critics of the association with BlueCo – demanded he hand back the captain’s armband.<\/p>\n Outsiders see players (and indeed the head coach) jumping around from club to club at the behest of Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n Take Aaron Anselmino. The centre-back spent the first half of the season on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Chelsea<\/a>.<\/p>\n Yet when Chelsea<\/a> wanted Sarr in their first team, Anselmino was recalled from the Bundesliga club and sent to fill the hole in the Strasbourg squad. <\/p>\n Anselmino was reportedly in tears when he left Dortmund. <\/p>\n Chelsea<\/a> were shifting chess pieces to suit their own strategy.<\/p>\n Yet recalling loan players from one club to send them to another should not be seen as special to a multi-club ownership structure. <\/p>\n For instance, last month Manchester United<\/a> brought Harry Amass back from a loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday and sent him to Norwich City instead.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n