‘If I was a player, I’d think “why I would sign?” – The only reason is because you’re guaranteed big money for seven years’: Jamie Carragher launches scathing attack on Chelsea
Jamie Carragher launched a scathing attack on not only Chelsea’s transfer policy on Monday night, but also questioned the motive behind players’ reasoning for joining the club when it’s in such a state of flux.
Speaking on the first Monday Night Football of the season, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville were on punditry duty as Leicester held Tottenham to a 1-1 draw at the King Power Stadium.
But with Joao Felix set to become Chelsea’s tenth signing of the summer, taking the number of senior first team players at the club to 40 when including the likes of outcast individuals Kepa Arrizabalaga, Romelu Lukaku and Trevoh Chalobah, Carragher’s attention was elsewhere early in the show.
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In utter bemusement, Carragher questioned the decision-making of officials at the club while also attacking players for wanting to sign for Chelsea in the first place.
“Chelsea have just got to stop buying players, and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea,” Carragher said on MNF. “If I was a player, I’d think ‘why I would sign?’ The only reason you would sign is because your agent might say, ‘we’re getting a seven-year deal on big money, that’s guaranteed money for seven years.
“You know what I would say? Back yourself, sign a four-year deal at a proper club. When you’re due for renewal, your money goes up anyway.”
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Felix is set to become the 10th signing at Chelsea (Image credit: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Carragher continued, highlighting how all their new signings creates more questions – and problems – than answers for manager Enzo Maresca.
“It’s not a young and exciting team. They’ve bought Joao Felix, where’s he going to play? They signed Pedro Neto a week ago, where’s he going to play when you’ve got Cole Palmer already? Where would you play Enzo Fernandez, a £100m player? Where would you play Christopher Nkunku?
Carragher didn’t hold back on Chelsea (Image credit: Getty Images)
“Great football teams need competition, but every team I played in there were seven or eight players who knew they were playing every week. There were six or seven players fighting for three positions, and another six or seven who knew they were squad players. That’s a healthy squad.
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground? How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”