Chelsea would have expected more from £88.5m Gittens and Garnacho, but time is on their side

LONDON – When Chelsea invested a combined £88.5 million to bring Jamie Gittens and Alejandro Garnacho to Stamford Bridge last summer, the expectation was that the two 21-year-olds would electrify the left flank for years to come. Instead, as the season enters its final third, the pair have contributed only seven goals and eight assists between them and are currently watching a right-sided winger and a central midfielder occupy their preferred territory.

Since Liam Rosenior took the reins on 6 January, Pedro Neto has started on the left and even Enzo Fernández has been deployed there, leaving Garnacho and Gittens scrambling for relevance. Gittens’ cause has not been helped by a hamstring injury suffered after just seven matches under the new head coach, while Garnacho, fully fit, has started only five of Rosenior’s 12 games, with the bulk of his minutes arriving in domestic cups.

Rosenior, speaking ahead of this weekend’s fixtures, refused to lay the blame at the youngsters’ feet. “Jamie showed really promising signs,” he said. “Garna scored twice against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi and was very good. There are tactical things; it’s not just on them. I have many solutions because I have such a good squad.”

Those tactical demands offer a clue to their struggles. Rosenior wants his wide players to drop into midfield pockets, combine in tight spaces and facilitate central progression rather than hug the touchline. Neto and Fernández, comfortable in congestion, have thrived: Neto is posting the best goal return of his Chelsea career, while Fernández has rotated seamlessly between the left wing and the No 10 role. Garnacho, by contrast, has the lowest forward-pass percentage (5.9%) of any Premier League player with 500+ minutes this season, often opting to shoot or dribble into traffic.

Gittens’ issues are more nuanced. Sources close to the former Borussia Dortmund winger say he had no direct contact with previous head coach Enzo Maresca before his £48.5 million move, leaving him unsure of his exact remit. A delayed transfer meant he appeared only briefly for Dortmund at the revamped Club World Cup, rendering him cup-tied for Chelsea’s triumphant campaign and disrupting his pre-season integration. The club insist Maresca was aligned on the signing and remain convinced Gittens will come good, yet the lost reps have clearly dented his confidence. In recent outings he has preferred safe, lateral passes to the daring take-ons that defined his Bundesliga game.

Both players remain on seven-year contracts, a reminder that the project is long-term. Neto and Fernández have eased the immediate pressure by deputising capably across multiple roles, allowing Chelsea to protect their investment while the youngsters adapt. With price-tags north of £40 million apiece, patience inside the stands may wear thin, but the clock is still very much on Gittens and Garnacho’s side.