Ex-Chelsea stars tell Alonso to sell ‘four or five’ players with nobody ‘untouchable’
Former Chelsea stars Joe Cole and Ashley Cole have spoken on the club’s summer transfer dealings, telling new boss Xabi Alonso to sell “four or five players” rather than two stars, though they’re aware nobody is “untouchable.”
The Blues have made a habit of selling important players in recent seasons. Conor Gallagher being allowed to move to Atletico Madrid was one of the latest large departures.
Currently, there is speculation over the exits, in particular, of Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella, with Real Madrid the main side linked with the former, and Barcelona and Atletico Madrid with the latter.
The two Coles, formerly of Chelsea, have spoken on the potential of selling the pair.
Ashley told the Daily Mail: “If you go into a tournament [the World Cup] thinking of club matters, that is going to cloud your performance. I got on with it. The only way to get a move, or stay at your club, or shut people up, is to perform. Enzo will have that same mindset. I’ve had the privilege to work with him. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”
Joe added: “If I’m Xabi Alonso, I want to keep both of them. I’d rather sell four or five other players to get that money in. But that’s if you’re using a model where you’re trying to win trophies.
You build around players, like what Mikel Arteta has done at Arsenal, like what Jurgen Klopp did at Liverpool, like what Pep Guardiola did at Manchester City. Do they have to sell them or not?
“Because so much money has been wasted at Chelsea, no player is untouchable, every player has a price, because it’s run as a business. Under Roman Abramovich, the club was run to win trophies first, make money second.
READ: Chelsea star has ‘already agreed to join’ Euro giants after £86m ‘offer’ is made
“Now, the club is run to make money first, win trophies second. That’s the truth. You can do both, but you’ve got to be very, very, very good. It’s important to be honest in this current climate. Chelsea fans aren’t silly. They know what’s going on. Let Xabi Alonso do his work, and we move.”
Chelsea will be likely to receive more than £100million from Fernandez if they’re to sell him, with the Argentine having performed well since being sold to the Stamford Bridge club for more than that in 2023.
However, they have a lot of other saleable assets who’d bring in good money and whose exits might not be quite as detrimental as a player who featured in 54 games across all competitions last season and has worn the captain’s armband.
READ MORE: Chelsea ‘set’ Man City, Real Madrid ‘new Fernandez asking price’ as Alonso told to push swap deal
