Joao Felix had a previous loan-spell with Chelsea back in 2023. (Image: AFP)
Jamie Carragher has called for Chelsea to stop buying players recklessly as the London-based club continue to struggle with a massively inflated squad in the ongoing Premier League season.
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher lashed out at Chelsea following their signing of Joao Felix was confirmed. Chelsea are reportedly set to sign the Atletico Madrid forward in a deal which could see the Blues midfielder Conor Gallagher joining the La Liga side.
The decision, however, did not go down well with Carragher who fumingly said that Chelsea “got to stop buying players.” At the same time, Carragher urged the players not to sign for the London giants.
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“Chelsea have just got to stop buying players and players have got to stop signing for Chelsea. I don’t know why, if I was a player, don’t know why you would sign for Chelsea,” the ex-England defender said on Sky Sports.
“The only reason you might is if your agent says ‘we’re getting a seven-year deal on big money’ – it’s guaranteed money. You know what I’d say – back yourself as a player, sign a four-year deal at a proper club, back yourself to do well. Then when you’re up for renewal your money goes up anyway.
I don’t understand why players are signing seven-year deals. There isn’t anything there. It is not a young and exciting team. They’ve just signed Joao Felix – tell me where he’s going to play,” Jamie Carragher added.
Jamie Carragher went on to state that Chelsea have got seven or eight players who are vying for three positions. The 46-year-old curiously asked, “What Chelsea have got now, where’s Felix going to get changed at the training ground. If you’ve got 40 players – how are you in one dressing room? How are you putting a training session on?”
The arrival of Joao Felix, who has already had one loan spell at Chelsea, has taken the club’s number of summer signings to 10. Apart from Felix, Pedro Neto, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Filip Jorgensen, Omari Kellyman, Aaron Anselmino, Renato Vega, Caleb Wiley, Marc Guiu and Tosin Adarabioyo have so far arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer.
Joao Felix now appears to be Chelsea’s latest signing with the Premier League giants reportedly agreeing to a £40 million ($51 million) fee with Atletico Madrid to acquire the services of the 24-year-old. The Portuguese international previously had a six-month loan spell at Chelsea during the second half of the 2022-23 season having netted four goals in 20 matches. Felix has reportedly been offered a six-year contract by the London giants.
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Despite the signings in the summer transfer window, Chelsea did not have a smooth start to their new campaign. In their Premier League season-opening contest against reigning champions Manchester City, the Enzo Maresca-coached side had to concede a defeat by two goals to nil.
