Chelsea have six players to leave before next season, with Saudi Arabia open to potential replacements, according to a former club player.
Mauricio Pochettino has not been afraid to make brutal decisions about his squad following a huge turnover of players since Todd Boly and co took over at Stamford Bridge.
Spending more than £1billion on players has yet to pay off, with Chelsea languishing in ninth place in the Premier League with more than half the season played. Pochettino has indicated that further investment may be needed, but considerations of financial fairness may require some spending to allow for more signings.
Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has called for six players to leave the club ahead of next season but believes recent disappointing deals should be given more time to be resolved.
“I’d like to see just five or six players go,” Johnson told Betfred. “Most of the players we brought in recently didn’t have a permanent dressing room because there were a lot of changes in the team. When there are too many changes, it’s difficult to find the right rhythm. “Most players need more time because they are too young and cannot judge quickly.
“Obviously you can only give players limited minutes but they have spent a lot of money at the club and deserve a full pre-season in the summer and next season. “I hope to see a better Chelsea.”
He believes Chelsea need an experienced striker after calling Brighton’s £100m bid for Evan Ferguson “crazy”. Johnson highlighted the possibility of signing the two Saudi left-backs as strikers who could make the difference for the Blues, but they are unlikely to be signed by the club either.
