Chelsea felt they were rushed into their January signing of Enzo Fernandez from Benfica to stop him going elsewhere.
The Argentine World Cup winner was determined to leave the Portuguese club midseason.
While Chelsea could have waited until the summer to secure Fernandez, The Telegraph states a fear of him going to a club like Manchester City meant they had to move quickly.
The Blues paid the buyout clause to Benfica to secure the signature of Fernandez.
However, the club did use a third party to finance the deal, which ensures they can pay the fee over a period of several years.
Such an arrangement allowed Benfica to claim the entire sum immediately, satisfying their demands.