Former Chelsea striker Hernan Crespo has opened up about his bittersweet stint in London almost 20 years after leaving Stamford Bridge.
Hernan Crespo’s time at Chelsea remains a what if. Arriving from Inter Milan in 2003 as a marquee £16.8 million signing during the initial Roman Abramovich era, the Argentine had plenty of hype behind him.
Despite his Chelsea career being heavily fragmented by loans back to Italy, his impact on the pitch was very respectable. Across two separate seasons for the Blues, Crespo maintained a decent goalscoring record, netting 20 goals in just 49 Premier League appearances.
His standout campaign came under Jose Mourinho during the 2005/06 season, where his goals helped fire Chelsea to a consecutive Premier League title.
However, personal hardships and a struggle to adapt to the English lifestyle cut his time short.
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Hernan Crespo shares his Chelsea regret
In an interview with the BBC, Hernan Crespo has relived his time at Chelsea, where he wishes that in another life he would get another chance at Stamford Bridge.
“I always say I wish I had another life where I could have spent more days at Chelsea,” he says.
“I am an older man now, and I would like to come back to understand it better. It was very hard for me personally at that time. My days at Chelsea, and for my family, were not easy – but the fans were amazing.
“England lives football the right way. When I saw that medal, I remembered everything – from being a kid, the sacrifices, the dressing room with [Gianfranco] Zola, [Gianluca] Vialli and [Ruud] Gullit before me, then arriving at that moment with Mourinho, [Didier] Drogba, a great captain like John Terry, and a great midfielder like Frank Lampard.
“I will never forget that moment and I am very proud to have been part of it. When I saw that medal, my whole life flashed before my eyes.”
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Chelsea need a striker of Hernan Crespo’s ilk
Chelsea’s current attack is crying out for a prime Hernan Crespo-type striker to elevate them to the next level.
Of course, Joao Pedro has excelled at Chelsea, drifting into positions and floating in behind, but they desperately lack a true, cold-blooded penalty box predator. A forward with Crespo’s world-class traits, instinctive movement off the shoulder of the last defender and one-touch finishing.
Liam Delap was supposed to be that man, but he hasn’t shown any of the goalscoring quality that was on display during his season at Ipswich Town.
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