Former Chelsea midfielder Emmanuel Petit has pulled no punches with a scathing verdict on Todd Boehly and the current regime at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are on track for another mid-table finish, sitting ninth in the Premier League following last season’s 12th-place finish.
It has been another challenging season under co-owner Boehly and the club looks set for another chaotic summer transfer window, as they will need to generate significant funds in order to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
England midfielder Conor Gallagher is one player that the club are reportedly looking to sell this summer, as the academy graduate’s sale would register as pure profit for the P&S balance sheet.
Gallagher has been one of the club’s most consistent players this season, netting five goals and registering eight assists this season. This has led to Tottenham being linked with the 24-year-old, whose current deal at Stamford Bridge runs out in 2025.
And it’s fair to say World Cup winner Petit is not impressed by any prospect of offloading the team’s vice-captain.
“Chelsea selling Gallagher?,” Petit asked Genting Casino. “If anything summed up the board of Chelsea, it is this. Can you believe that? They are running the club into the ground.
“Boehly has signed so many players that he may have to get rid of Gallagher, one of their most important players. He’s one of the only leaders, too, so it really is crazy to be a Chelsea fan right now.”
Petit, who spent three years at Stamford Bridge between 2001-2004, added that he would not want to play for a club undergoing such upheaval on and off the pitch, as he urges the board to show more patience.
“I’m happy I wasn’t around in the Boehly era,” he added.
“I hear critics about Mauricio Pochettino every week, do the fans want him sacked? It's exhausting for the fans, players and staff to keep changing the manager. Restarting under a new coach again and again and again is tiring.
“Give time to Pochettino, Chelsea need to stop signing and selling players. I hear rumours of defenders in Ligue 1 being linked to Chelsea and I'm thinking 'What the hell?'. If something goes wrong, the first instinct should not be to sign 16 new players or replace the manager. I know the fans and players are frustrated, but what is this culture?
“There is no stability or serenity at Chelsea, the fans don't know if their owner, Todd Boehly, is staying or leaving. Chelsea have bought a lot of young, talented players and they have no leaders. Give them time. Look at Arsenal, the first two years they struggled and the board gave Mikel Arteta confidence, look at them now. Chelsea need to stop spending money.”
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