Former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton thinks the size of the Blues’ squad could be an issue for Mauricio Pochettino.
While Chelsea have got rid of a lot of players this summer, they have also brought many new names in.
Speaking about the dilemma Mauricio Pochettino now faces on It’s All Coming Up, Sutton said: “Chelsea’s bloated squad was a problem for Graham Potter, absolutely, and it’s going to be a bit of an issue for Pochettino.
“But he needs to make his mind up quickly, which in fairness he seems to have done.”
At the end of July, Pochettino admitted that his Chelsea squad had too many players.
“We need 22, 23, 24 players with some younger and that’s it,” the Argentine was quoted as saying by GOAL. “I am so sorry because maybe the decision will be tough, but we need to build a good and balanced team who want to compete for things.”
Who could Mauricio Pochettino get rid of before the transfer window closes?
As already mentioned, Chelsea have parted ways with a lot of players this summer, with the likes of N’Golo Kante, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount all leaving the club.
If Pochettino wants to trim his squad further, though, there are several names who come to mind.
Having signed Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, Conor Gallagher could be a candidate to depart Stamford Bridge.
While the England international started in the 1-1 draw with Liverpool last weekend, he is now unlikely to be a regular. It could see him push for a move as he looks for guaranteed minutes, which could be important with Euro 2024 taking place next summer.
Because of the arrivals of Caicedo and Lavia, Carney Chukwuemeka is another who may need to leave for game time.
Chelsea look quite stacked in central defence as well, with Pochettino having centre-halves such as Thiago Silva and Levi Colwill currently available to him. Could that force Trevoh Chalobah, for example, out of the club? You cannot rule it out if Pochettino wants more sales to be sanctioned.
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