"It will help the team" - Joe Cole urges Chelsea to part ways with 'at least 10 players' in the summer
Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has advised the club to sell at least 10 players from their large first-team squad in the upcoming summer transfer window. His comments came after the Blues lost 2-0 to Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge in their second-leg tie in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, April 18.
Chelsea had a 2-0 deficit to get past ahead of their second-leg clash against Los Blancos last night, having lost the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Blues made a positive start and nearly took the lead through N'Golo Kante and Marc Cucurella. However, Thibaut Courtois made a series of excellent saves to deny them.
Rodrygo scored an excellent brace in the second half to ensure Real Madrid progressed to the semi-finals to face one of Manchester City or Bayern Munich.
Chelsea's defeat meant their hopes for silverware and Champions League qualification next season ended.
The Blues have struggled under Todd Boehly and Co., having sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season. Interim manager Frank Lampard has lost his first four games in a row to compound the Blues' struggles.
They are currently 11th in the Premier League standings with 39 points and are unlikely to qualify for any European competition.
Joe Cole doesn't think the situation is as bad as it seems. Instead, he believes reducing their large squad of over 30 players could pay dividends for them next season. He told BT Sport (via METRO):
"It helped Antonio Conte’s team. Chelsea finished 10th and then won the league after Conte came in. I’m not saying I think Chelsea are going to win the league next season – there’s more than enough strong teams above them – but without a doubt it will help the team."
"But it will only help if Chelsea offload at least 10 players. I think at least 10 players need to be trimmed from the squad."
The club hierarchy have spent over $600 million to bring in the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk, and Raheem Sterling. However, the spending has not yielded any results so far.
With many players expected to leave this summer, it could be the boost the Blues need to rejuvenate for next season.
Chelsea star Thiago Silva expresses disappointment after being knocked out of Champions League
Thiago Silva expressed his disappointment after the Blues were emphatically defeated 2-0 by reigning champions Real Madrid in the Champions League last night.
Despite putting in a more dominant performance with more possession (55 to 45 percent) and more shots (19 to nine), they failed to take advantage of their chances and were swiftly punished.
Having won the Champions League at the club two seasons prior, Silva admitted it could be the final UCL night of his career. The Brazilian has one more year left on his contract but the Blues won’t be eligible for European football next season.
He spoke to club media (via Chelsea FC):
"It’s a bit of frustration, a bit of disappointment, a bit of anger. It’s possibly my last match in the Champions League, and it’s sad to finish like that. The frustration is there, above all with how the game went."
"The match over there was very difficult. Here the first half we played very well, controlled the match, and stopped goalscoring opportunities. After that, if you don’t score against a team like Real Madrid, that’s what happens. That’s the level," he added.
Chelsea will next be seen in action when they take on Brentford in the Premier League on April 26.