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Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino told to axe six stars as surprise Saudi transfer mooted
Chelsea could be very busy in the final two weeks of the January transfer window.
Pochettino gives update on Chelsea's transfer plans
Chelsea have been told by a former player of the club that as many as six players should leave before next season, with Saudi Arabia the setting for their potential replacements. Mauricio Pochettino has not been afraid to make ruthless decisions regarding his squad, following a huge turnover of players since Todd Boehly and co took charge at Stamford Bridge.
An outlay of over £1billion on players is yet to yield the desired outcome, with Chelsea languishing ninth in the Premier League table with over half of the campaign already played. Pochettino has already claimed that further investment may be necessary, but with Financial Fair Play to consider some outgoings will likely be required to accommodate more signings.
Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has called for up to six players to leave the club before next season, but argued that recent signings who have underwhelmed should be given more time in order to settle in.
“I’d only want to see five or six players leave,” Johnson told Betfred. “Many of the players they’ve signed recently didn’t come straight into a settled dressing room because there’s been so much change in terms of the playing staff. When there’s so many changes, it’s difficult to find the right rhythm.
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“Most of the players deserve more time because they’re so young and they shouldn’t be judged too quickly. Obviously, there’s only so much time you can give players but they’ve cost the club a lot of money and deserve the chance to have a full pre-season in the summer and hopefully we see an improved Chelsea next season.”
He does believe that Chelsea need an experienced striker to lead the line, after labelling the idea of spending £100million on Brighton’s Evan Ferguson as “bonkers”. Johnson has outlined two potential left-field signings from Saudi Arabia as forwards that could make a difference for the Blues, though it would be unlikely the club would sign both.
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When asked about the prospect of Chelsea loaning Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, Johnson replied: “100 per cent. Absolutely. He’s the type of big-name striker you need because he’s won almost everything in the game and he’s a goal machine, so you’d expect him to adapt easily to the Premier League. If a loan deal is the only option, then Chelsea have to try and sign him.”
Another option for Johnson is former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino, who left England for Al-Ahli in the summer but has been linked with a return to the Premier League. “Roberto is a bloody great player and he’s a Liverpool legend, but he’s not going to get you 20 goals a season,” Johnson added.
“However, he’s a fantastic player and he’s brilliant at creating chances for his fellow forwards and bringing the game together. He’s not an out-and-out goal machine but would I sign him if I was Chelsea? Yes I would, but I believe they need a proper goalscorer too.”