Jamie Carragher has urged players to stop signing with Chelsea, suggesting that the club is running out of space at their training ground.
Chelsea has already added nine new players this summer, with a tenth expected to join soon, as Joao Felix is set to return to Stamford Bridge on a six-year deal worth £42.6 million plus add-ons.
Chelsea’s squad is currently overcrowded, as evidenced by the 23 first-team players left out of the matchday squad for their 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.
The club is trying to address this issue by trimming the squad, with players like Conor Gallagher, Armando Broja, and Romelu Lukaku omitted from the City game’s squad.
Carragher’s frustration highlights the challenges faced by Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca in managing such a bloated squad.
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football, Carragher said: “Chelsea have got to stop signing players and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea.
“If I was a player, I don’t know why I’d look at that project and sign. The only reason you’d sign is because your agent says ‘You’re getting a seven-year deal on big money – that’s guaranteed money’.
“Do you know what I say? Back yourself as a player. Sign a four-year deal at a proper club and back yourself to do well and then when you’re due for a renewal your money goes up anyway.
“I don’t understand why players are signing seven-year deals.”
Responding to David Jones saying that players might want to be a part of the Chelsea project, Carragher replied: “Part of what? It’s not a young and exciting team.
“You’ve bought Joao Felix, right? Tell me where he is going to play.
“They’ve already signed Neto a week ago – where’s he going to play when you’ve already got Cole Palmer?
“Where do you play Enzo Fernandez, a £100milliion player? Where do you play Nkunku?
“Great football teams need competition but every football team I played in, there was seven or eight players who knew they were playing every week.
