Frank Leboeuf says he's 'disgusted' by Chelsea's current state, urges Todd Boehly to make changes quickly
Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has expressed concern with the club's current situation. Speaking to Casinos En Ligne, the Frenchman stated that the strategy of recruiting only young players is the reason behind the side's poor performances as they lack experience.
He said:
“Top players won’t come to Chelsea because the club has fallen. It’s unbelievable to see what the club has become just two years on from their Champions League win. I’m disgusted with it.”
“I have nothing against Todd Boehly, but they need to change things quickly or else they’ll kill the club.
He went on to criticise the side's recruitment team, saying:
"I’d say the people in charge of recruitment are the most to blame. It’s OK to sign young players to long contracts if they’re committed, but the board has forgotten to balance the team.
“The spine of the team is very young apart from [Thiago] Silva and there’s not much experience there. Even Enzo Fernandez looks very young, despite knowing the game inside out. I don’t see the leadership and that’s the main problem. The recruitment team didn’t think of that and I think everybody is responsible.”
The Blues have spent over £1 billion in recent windows but have performed extremely poorly. A 12th-place finish last season, their second-lowest ever, saw them sack Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter and appoint Mauricio Pochettino for the new season. The Argentine has not fared much better, with just one win from his first six Premier League games, scoring just the five goals.
Chelsea make decision on future of star attacker: Reports
Chelsea striker Armando Broja is set to remain at the club despite interest from elsewhere. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Albanian is regarded as a key part of the Blues' project.
He said:
"Chelsea discussed internally about the situation but then their position was very clear – Armando Broja is not for sale. They trust him, they want to keep the player at the club. They believe that he can be an important player for many years, not just for this season."
Romano stated that there was interest in the player from West Ham United and AC Milan. However, the striker, who shined on loan at Southampton with nine goals across competitions, is set to stay at Stamford Bridge.
He suffered an ACL injury in late 2022 that ruled him out for the entire 2022-23 campaign. He returned from the setback last week, coming off the bench against Aston Villa. The 22-year-old is an academy graduate and has made 21 senior appearances for the club till date, scoring and assisting once each.