Sevilla sporting director Monchi has praised Chelsea’s summer transfer business and believes it has turned the Blues into a team to look out for.
The Spaniard came face to face with Frank Lampard’s new-look side last Wednesday in the opening Champions League group match which ended in a goalless stalemate.
Monchi, in his second spell at the La Liga side, believes patience is needed from both the Chelsea board as well as supporters as the team settles and takes shape after the major shake-up.
But the 52-year-old, regarded among the top sporting directors in football, insists any such patience will be rewarded.
“I don’t trust the money Chelsea spent, but I trust the players for whom they spent it on,” Monchi said via TMW.
“From midfield up they have great talent: Pulisic, Ziyech, Abraham, Werner.
“They are a very high level team, although still in the running-in phase. They are building as a collective and will still need some time, but they remain a formidable rival.”
Monchi also believes his Champions League rivals can use last season’s heavy defeat to Bayern Munich in the second round to motivate his players for the current campaign which continues on Wednesday at Russian opponents Krasnodar.
He added: “On their side, then, they will have the emotional aspect: last year’s elimination against Bayern was really bad and they will want to cancel it (in Europe).”