"Now I’m going back to Chelsea to play my chances” - Chelsea midfielder keen on making mark at Stamford Bridge after loan stint
Chelsea midfielder Casare Cesadai is adamant that he is happy he joined the club and is now eager to break into the first team.
Cesadai, 20, joined the Blues from Inter Milan last summer for €15 million. The Italian was signed in the midst of the Premier League giants' busy summer transfer window that saw eight further players arrive.
Hence, his arrival went somewhat under the radar and he lacked game time. Cesadai was sent out on loan to EFL Championship outfit Reading in January. He featured 19 times across competitions for the Royals, with two goals.
The Italian has commented on his move to Chelsea and insists that he is glad he joined the west Londoners. He told Corriere dello Sport:
“No, no. I would do everything I did again. I’m really happy in England. Playing as a starter in the Championship has allowed me to experience the football of the greats. Now I’m going back to Chelsea to play my chances.”
Cesadai did touch on the difficulties with adapting to life in England amid a language barrier. He stated:
“It wasn’t easy at first, I had to adapt to a different culture. I am overcoming the language barrier with an English teacher who follows me, and then they are not afraid to throw you into the mix: I almost immediately trained with the Blues’ first-team.”
The Italian returns to Stamford Bridge at a time when the Blues are in a difficult situation. His parent club finished the Premier League season lowly in 12th place. Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the west London outfit's new manager and is expected to make plenty of changes to his squad.
Cesadai may be given an opportunity to shine amid the mega sale that looks to be on the horizon. The futures of midfielders Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic are in doubt with Chelsea needing to balance their books.
Chelsea owners regret the speed of sacking former manager Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel was a fan favorite at Stamford Bridge with the German guiding Chelsea to the Champions League in 2021. He held a good relationship with the club's former owner Roman Abramovich and worked well with their recruitment staff.
However, that all changed once Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali became the new co-owners in May 2022. Tuchel was seemingly at loggerheads with the new structure in place and his spell in charge came to an abrupt end in September.
According to The Guardian, the club's owners now have regrets regarding the speed with which they dismissed Tuchel. The report states:
“Tuchel’s relationship with the board had plummeted but there was still a naivety to letting him go. He has just won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and his tactical acumen probably would have kept Chelsea around the top six. There is regret over the speed of his dismissal now.”
Tuchel has gone on to win the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich. His departure was not one that Blues fans were fond of and his replacement Graham Potter failed disastrously.