"Sometimes you need to sell your academy players for 100 per cent" – Chelsea boss on sale of Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has revealed why his club decided to cash in on Blues academy product Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid.
On Wednesday (August 21), Gallagher secured a permanent switch to Los Rojiblancos for around £36 million. The player, who ended his 18-year-long stay at the Blues, penned a deal until 2029 at his new club.
At a pre-match press conference, Maresca was asked to share his two cents on Gallagher departing Chelsea. He replied (h/t football.london):
"Many clubs are selling players from their academies. I mentioned the other day, we had [Francesco] Totti with AS Roma for 20 years, we all love that. But the rules are a bit different and sometimes you need to sell your academy players for 100%. This is the situation."
Gallagher, who helped Chelsea lift the UEFA Europa League trophy in 2019, was one of the Blues' top performers last campaign. He scored seven goals and laid out nine assists in 50 games in all competitions.
Earlier this summer, Maresca's outfit offloaded two of their other youth products. While Ian Maatsen joined Aston Villa for around £38 million, Lewis Hall joined Newcastle United in a potential £35 million transfer.
Jamie Carragher expresses major concern about Chelsea summer signing Joao Felix
On Wednesday, Joao Felix left Atletico Madrid to join Chelsea in a deal worth up to £46 million and penned a contract until 2031 at the Blues.
Ahead of the confirmation, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher revealed his concerns about Felix's latest move. He told Sky Sports (h/t Metro):
"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 £100 million player who plays at number 10? Where are you going to play [Christopher] Nkunku?"
Carragher, who represented Liverpool 737 times as a player, added:
"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."
Sharing his thoughts on Chelsea's comparatively large squad, he said:
"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?"
Felix, 24, bagged four goals in 20 appearances across all competitions for the Stamford Bridge side while on loan during the 2022-23 season.