Jamie Carragher cannot understand why any player would sign for Chelsea right now (Photo: Sky Sports)
Jamie Carragher issued a damning criticism of Chelsea after a transfer for Joao Felix was agreed, urging players to ‘stop signing for the club’.
On Monday evening, it was reported that the Blues had agreed to re-sign Felix from Atletico Madrid for a fee of around £46million – their 10th signing of the summer.
The transfer will allow Conor Gallagher to complete his move to the Spanish giants, against the wishes of Chelsea fans.
Felix’s arrival will add to Enzo Maresca’s ridiculously bloated squad, with several notable stars left out of the team that lost to Manchester City on Sunday, including Raheem Sterling who released a statement asking for ‘clarity’ on why he was snubbed.
Chelsea’s transfer policy since Todd Boehly bought the club two years ago has been widely panned, with 44 players bought for well-over £1billion but very few have looked the real deal.
Upon hearing the news that Felix was on his way back to Stamford Bridge, Carragher unleashed a scathing tirade of the club’s hierarchy, urging them to sop signing players and telling players to avoid the club at all costs.
Chelsea have just got to stop buying players and players have just got to stop signing for Chelsea,’ the Liverpool legend said on Sky Sports.
Joao Felix struggled during his previous spell at Chelsea (Photo: Getty)
‘I don’t why as a player I would look at that Chelsea project and think I would sign. The only reason you would sign is because 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 would say? Back yourself as a player, sign a four-year deal at a proper club and back yourself to do well. And then when you’re due for a renewal the money goes up anyway.
‘I don’t understand why players are signing seven-year deals.’
Put to him that players might be interested in being part of Chelsea’s long-term project, an exasperated Carragher replied: ‘Part of what?! It’s not a young and exciting team!
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly walked out of Chelsea’s opening weekend defeat to Man City (Photo: ESPN)
‘Joao Felix. Tell me, where is he going to play. They signed [Pedro] Neto a week ago, they’ve already got Cole Palmer.
‘Where are you going to play Enzo Fernandez, a £100million player who plays at No.10? Where are you going to play [Christopher] Nkunku?
‘Great football teams need competition. But in every football team I played in there was seven or eight players who knew they were playing every week.
‘And then you’ve got six or seven players who were fighting for three positions and then you’ve got another six or seven players who know they’re squad players. That is a healthy squad.
‘You’re asking where Joao Felix is going to play. Do you know what I want to ask you? Where is he getting changed at the training ground? I’m deadly serious.
‘Where are these people [getting changed]? If you’ve got 40 players how are you all in one dressing room? How are you putting a training session on?’
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