Carragher insists players must ‘stop signing for Chelsea’; Maresca told he’s playing star in wrong position
Jamie Carragher insists that players must “stop signing for Chelsea” as the Blues close in on a deal to sign Joao Felix from Atletico Madrid.
The Blues had already spent around £1billion on transfer fees since a Todd Boehly-led consortium took over Chelsea in May 2022 – but the Stamford Bridge outfit are now set to make their tenth signing of the summer.
Former Benfica forward Felix is set to sign from Atletico Madrid after Chelsea reportedly reached an agreement with the La Liga club on Monday, while personal terms have already been sorted.
Raheem Sterling was among the notable Chelsea stars left out of their squad in their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City over the weekend and Felix adds to Enzo Maresca’s already bloated squad.
And Carragher has advised players to “stop signing for Chelsea” and doesn’t understand why any player would consider the current Blues project as an attractive one.
Carragher said on Sky Sports on Monday night: “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.”
When put to him that players might want to join Chelsea because of their long-term vision, Carragher hit back: “Part of what?! It’s not a young and exciting team!
“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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Former Liverpool and Manchester United striker Michael Owen thinks Cole Palmer – who has been Chelsea’s best signing in recent years – is being played out of position under Maresca.
Owen told Premier League productions: “Chelsea have bought so many players that can play in that position, haven’t they?
“You’ve got players who aren’t even in the squad who can play in that position too like Raheem Sterling. I’m sure the manager watched how good he [Palmer] was last season and the position he played in and everything else.
“And you would just think that when you’re picking a team, your best players play in their best positions and you fit around them. You’re not going to push your best players into unfamiliar positions.
“If I was the manager, he’d be first on the teamsheet in his favoured position and then I’d work around it but it seems like they’ve bought so many players that they’re trying to shuffle the pack.
“We heard the manager before the game say Cole Palmer can play in any of those positions around the front and I’m sure he can but I would prefer him to be at his best and getting more of the ball in a more central area.”
