Questions have emerged over BlueCo’s strategy for RC Strasbourg Alsace after a January transfer window that saw the club’s targets rejected in favour of Chelsea loanees.
Unlike Chelsea, who have under BlueCo been given a litany of options at multiple positions, Strasbourg have seen key positions reduced to a single player and alternate options in the transfer window refused.
According to L’Équipe, BlueCo shareholder Behdad Eghbali has the final say on transfers at Strasbourg, and during January he passed on multiple options including Mohamed Ali-Cho, Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, and Ibrahim Osman. Young wingers that all fit the brief that has been given to Le Racing to focus on players with high potential.
His preference for Strasbourg was to maximise playing time for Chelsea loanee Ângelo Gabriel at the expense of signing a competitor in that position and refused to sanction any move that could disrupt the development of the Chelsea player.
“All our fears about the BlueCo project, confirmed in this transfer window.”
Strasbourg fans protest against the BlueCo ownership, hours after the departure of captain Matz Sels, one of the few experienced players remaining at the club. pic.twitter.com/zDuEYMT3v6
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) February 2, 2024
A downward spiral for an exhausted Strasbourg
Eghbali while surrounded by a large and specialised team at Chelsea has decided to take the responsibility of Strasbourg on his own, despite it being thought that he has both a limited understanding of football and experience working in the industry.
The club’s lack of recruitment in the winter window has not allowed for manager Patrick Viera to have many alternative options, as only two players were brought in Andrey Santos (a Chelsea loanee) and Milos Lukovic (who was immediately loaned back to his parent club FK IMT) to replace the four that left, including starting goalkeeper Matz Sels.
When a poor run of form hits, it can be difficult for the team to exit their downward spiral, and exhaustion for the youngest team in the league has begun to creep in as they have now suffered five games without a win.
There was perhaps misplaced confidence that a summer of investment was enough for the team. And yet with only 11 games remaining and 3 points separating them from the relegation playoff zone, this misjudgement could prove costly for Strasbourg.
GFFN | Nick Hartland
