Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has urged transfer targets not to sign for Premier League giants Chelsea. Carragher believes things have gotten out of hand at Stamford Bridge, and he criticized owner Todd Boehly for failing to create a healthy squad.
Chelsea Has An Overload Of Players
Since taking charge of the club a couple of years back, the Boehly-led consortium has splurged over $1 billion to bring new players to Stamford Bridge. However, despite spending so heavily, the Blues have failed to secure a top-four finish, with them ending up in 12th place in the 2022-23 season and fifth place in 2023-24.
This summer, Chelsea has signed Pedro Neto, who prefers to occupy areas that Cole Palmer generally operates in. Since Palmer has easily been Chelsea’s standout performer, it is unlikely that Enzo Maresca will give Neto the freedom he was getting at Wolverhampton Wanderers. C0mplicating things further, Chelsea is closing in on Atletico Madrid attacker Joao Felix whereas Napoli ace Victor Osimhen remains a top target.
Jamie Carragher Slams Todd Boehly Transfer Plan
Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher criticized Chelsea’s transfer policy, saying:
“Chelsea have just got to stop buying players and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea. If I was a player, why would you sign?
“The only reason why you would sign is your agent might say: ‘We’re getting a seven-year deal on big money’ – that’s guaranteed money for seven years. You know what I’d say – back yourself as a player, sign a four-year deal at a proper club, and back yourself to do well. Then when you’re up for renewal your money goes up anyway. I don’t understand why players are signing seven-year deals.”
He also claimed Chelsea were buying without a plan, which was not doing them any favors.
Carragher added:
“They’ve bought Joao Felix – tell me where he’s going to play. They signed [Pedro] Neto a week ago – where is he playing when you’ve got Cole Palmer? Then where do you play Enzo Fernandez, a £100million player? Where do you play [Christopher] Nkunku?
“Great football teams need competition. But every team I played in, there were seven or eight players who knew they were playing every week. Then you’ve got six or seven players who are fighting for three positions. Then you’ve got another six or seven players who know they are squad players. That is a healthy squad.”
He concluded by adding:
“What Chelsea have got right now, you ask where Joao Felix might play… I ask where’s Felix going to get changed at the training ground? I’m deadly serious. If you’ve got 40 players – how are you in one dressing room? How are you putting a training session on? How are you creating cohesion?”
As per the Independent, Chelsea now has over 40 players in their squad. They need to sell at least 14 before the summer window closes.
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