Chelsea
Premier League • England
Chelsea told to axe ’25 players’ in mass exodus this summer due to ‘mental’ first-team squad size
Chelsea have been told they need to get rid of “25 players” this summer in order to make the life of whoever takes over as their next permanent manager easier.
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be handed the reins at Stamford Bridge this summer after a disastrous domestic campaign, which currently sees the Blues sitting 12th in the Premier League table.
Since Todd Boehly’s takeover in west London, Chelsea have spent £600million in bringing in 13 players – despite already having one of the biggest first-team squads in the top flight.
And, speaking to Football Insider, former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie can’t believe how many of the club’s players are happy to just “sit about” and not play.
He’s not the only one who has commented on the size of the squad though, with Blues defender Thiago Silva also claiming it’s created an “issue”. Indeed, Chelsea have been forced to expand the changing room to accommodate all of their new signings.
Quality over quantity for Chelsea
And McAvennie insists a mass exodus needs to happen this summer, leaving the focus more on quality than quantity.
“There is about 50 players in the changing room, they had to make it bigger it is just mental,” he told Football Insider.
“I think the first thing they have to do is get that down to 25 or 30. It is mind-boggling that they have got that many players.
“I can’t believe that there is that many players wanting to sit about and just take the money. There are that many players at the Chelsea team quite happy to take the money.
“If you are not getting a game move somewhere that you are. It must be horrible to train all week knowing that you are not playing at the weekend.
“I do not know how the modern-day player can just accept that, it would not have been me.”
Chelsea, who have lost all five games since Frank Lampard returned to the club as interim boss, are back in action on Tuesday night when they head to Arsenal in the Premier League.
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