I started a Chelsea rebuild save in FM26 (using EAFC26 + Football Life 26 for visuals)
A Football Manager Career by Ian ImranTeam
Chelsea
League
Premier League
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Ian Imran
Chelsea have spent heavily, changed managers, and still haven’t found the stability the club has been searching for.
That was the starting point for this new save.
I’ve started a Chelsea rebuild series using Football Manager 26 as the core of the project. FM handles the decisions — tactics, transfers, squad building and match management. To make it feel more visual and cinematic, I also used EAFC26 and Football Life 26 for the match highlights, build-up play, celebrations, crowd atmosphere and manager moments.
Episode 1 begins with taking over a squad full of talent but still lacking balance and identity.
The first transfer window brought in Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton for £79 million, while Nahuel Molina arrived on loan with a £40 million buy option.
Pre-season was the first real test.
We found ourselves 2–0 down against Galatasaray, fought back to level through Neto, but eventually lost 3–2 after Osimhen scored the winner.
From there the response was strong — a 4–1 win over Athletic Bilbao, a 3–1 win over Strasbourg, and another 4–1 win over Olympiacos.
The goal with this series is to turn a normal Football Manager save into more of a football documentary-style journey.
If you’d like to check out the visual side of the project, Episode 1 is here:
Ian Imran
⚽ Chelsea Career Mode — Episode 2
Season Start Summary
Chelsea begin the Premier League season under a new project with several new signings and a young starting XI built for the future.
🧩 Starting XI (Main Idea)
Robert Sánchez; Reece James; Chalobah; Van Hecke; Cucurella; Enzo Fernández; Caicedo; Pedro Neto; Garnacho; João Pedro
A young and energetic team focused on attacking football and high intensity.
📊 Match Results
Match 1 — Crystal Palace
Chelsea started well but struggled defensively and lost 2–1.
A poor opening result raised early concerns.
Match 2 — West Ham
A more controlled game, but Chelsea conceded again after taking the lead.
Finished 1–1.
Match 3 — Fulham
A chaotic match but Chelsea showed character.
Goals from Caicedo, Van Hecke, and a late winner from Enzo Fernández secured a 3–2 win.
📈 Monthly Summary
A mixed start overall.
Attack looks promising, especially Garnacho’s performances.
However, defensive organisation is still a major issue.
🌟 Standout Player
Alejandro Garnacho — consistently the most dangerous attacking threat.
⚠️ Key Issue
Chelsea are struggling to control games after taking the lead, especially defensively.
🔜 Next Episode Teaser
Chelsea now enter the Champions League, with a huge opening fixture against Real Madrid, followed by Manchester United.
Full Episode 2 recap now available — would love to hear your thoughts!
Ian Imran
⚽ Chelsea Career Mode — Episode 3
Chelsea start to show signs of improvement after a difficult opening phase of the season.
The team begins to find more consistency with a young squad still developing chemistry under pressure.
📊 Key Results (Episode 3)
Caicedo (Assisted by Pedro Neto)
Neto (Assisted by Caicedo)
Van Hecke (Assisted by Palmer)
Taiwo Awoniyi
F.Valverde
Arda Guler
Enzo Fernandes (Assisted By Joao Pedro)
Liam Delap
Nathan Tella
G.Rutter
Joao Pedro (Assisted by Palmer)
Palmer on Penalty
Alexander Isak
Florian Wirtz
Cole Palmer (Assisted by Neto)
Enzo Fernandez (Assisted by Palmer)
Delap (Assisted by Palmer)
📈 Overall Progress
The team is slowly building momentum:
🌟 Standout Players
🔵 Summary
Chelsea are starting to look more stable after a shaky start.
There is still a long way to go, especially in Europe, but results are improving and confidence is growing.
🔜 Next Episode
More Premier League action and Champions League battles as the season continues.
Full Episode 3 recap now available — would love to hear your thoughts!