Former Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic unloads on "mid-table" squad

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has slammed the current squad, branding it "mid-table" despite £1 billion spent since Todd Boehly took the reins at the club.

The Blues have signed a total of 27 players under Boehly's regime, including a spree of £425 million on 13 different players in the summer window before its closure.

It's been a mass squad overhaul at Stamford Bridge, who also offloaded 22 players with loans and free transfers factored in.

But after a dismal 12th place finish last season, former 'keeper Begovic does not feel as though Chelsea have improved all that much.

Mauricio Pochettino is now at the helm but they are still in the bottom half of the table after four games and Begovic, who played 33 times for the club, cannot understand the recruitment process at the west London club and said the happenings "beggars belief".

"I mean the squad of players at Pochettino's disposal, the amount of money spent is 12th in the league - it's mid-table! It is literally mid-table. If they were any higher you would be working miracles.

"You have a bit of luck with [Christopher] Nkunku, I get it, he's a top player. Cole Palmer has only just come in. But what is going on with the recruitment of these players? Why is Chelsea Football Club rebuilding?

"Why is Chelsea Football Club in a transition? This is one of the best. I mean I've been there. I'm proud to have been there. It's one of the best locations to play football in the world."

Chelsea have won just one of their first four league games, a 3-0 win over newly promoted Luton Town. They've tasted defeats at the hands of West Ham and Nottingham Forest, who claimed a 1-0 away win last time out.

The two-time Champions League winners look to get back to winning ways against Bournemouth on Sunday 17 September.