"Would have been a good idea" - Chelsea legend Frank Leboeuf backs Graham Potter to sign Premier League star
Former Chelsea center-back Frank Leboeuf has claimed that signing Cristiano Ronaldo would have been a good idea in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea were heavily linked with Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo during the summer transfer window. According to reports, club owner Todd Boehly had agreed to sign the Portuguese superstar, but the move fell through due to then-coach Thomas Tuchel’s disapproval (via the United Transfer Room).
In an interview with Fair Betting Sites, Leboeuf was asked whether or not the Blues should sign the Portuguese in the future. The former Marseille man claimed that the move would have made sense in the summer, hinting that a transfer might not be beneficial in the future. The Frenchman said:
“I think Chelsea signing Cristiano Ronaldo would have been a good idea in the summer when Todd Boehly was suggesting they were interested. But I’m certain that Tuchel would’ve been against the idea because of how it turned out when he was dealing with Mbappe and Neymar as megastars at PSG and he wouldn’t have wanted to relive that experience.
“I really thought Ronaldo could’ve been a good signing for the club commercially because clearly Ronaldo is worldwide in terms of his marketability but in terms of on a football level, I’m not so sure. I have respect for him as the fantastic player and legend that he is but as time passes and you get older, eventually you hit that time to retire, and you want to make sure you don’t prolong your career too much and end up potentially damaging your reputation.”
Leboeuf also mentioned Lionel Messi’s turnaround at Paris Saint-Germain but was unsure whether or not the same would happen for Ronaldo.
Marcus Rashford talking about Cristiano Ronaldo. https://t.co/A2QNpcUgRd
He added:
“I really thought that Messi might have called time after last season at PSG but he’s showing he’s not ready to quit yet so I hope that football and Ronaldo himself that he will find a club that suits this stage in his career where he scores lots more goals. I have doubts about that, but I don’t want to say that it’s over and he should retire.
“But for Chelsea they’ve just signed Aubameynag so what really is the point of adding Ronaldo because where does that leave him or Broja if Ronaldo comes? They might feel unwanted. Psychologically you have to be careful what you do in terms of the dressing room morale.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, has featured in 12 games for Manchester United this season across competitions, scoring twice. His contract with the Red Devils expires in June 2023.
Frank Leboeuf hails Chelsea center-back Thiago Silva for his exceptional displays
During his interview with Fair Betting Sites, Leboeuf was asked to name the standout player for Chelsea this season. Without hesitation, he gave the props to Thiago Silva, claiming that the veteran center-back was performing even better than he was at PSG.
Thiago Silva’s game by numbers vs. RB Salzburg:
105 touches
89% pass accuracy
4/4 ground duels won
4 clearances
3 shots blocked
3 long balls completed
2/3 aerial duels won
2 tackles won
1 goal line clearance
The anchor. ⚓ https://t.co/r0cYrXMmn6
Leboeuf added:
“Thiago Silva is my player of the season so far for Chelsea. The guy is amazing. He’s playing even better than he was at PSG. He may have lost a little bit of pace, but he compensates for that with his mind because he is a very smart person. He’s tough defensively, he seems to have adapted so well to the physicality of the Premier League. He knows the referees won’t give him fouls as easily as like they did in Ligue 1 so he has to toughen up and he has done.”
Silva has featured in 13 games for the Pensioners this season, claiming two assists across competitions.