Chelsea have been told that they “made a mistake by not signing Cristiano Ronaldo”, with William Gallas saying the Blues lack “winning mentality”.
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Portuguese released by Man Utd in 2022Was linked with a move to Stamford BridgeBlues remain in the hunt for proven No.9WHAT HAPPENED?
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo saw a shock move to Stamford Bridge speculated on following his release by Manchester United in November 2022. Chelsea were crying out for a proven goalscorer to lead their line back then, and little has changed since. CR7 ended up heading to Saudi Arabia, where he remains a prolific presence for Al-Nassr at 39 years of age, and questions are being asked of why those in west London did not push harder for a deal.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT GALLAS SAID ABOUT RONALDO
Former Blues defender Gallas has told : “Chelsea made a mistake by not signing Cristiano Ronaldo. He was available to sign and Chelsea would have been a good club for him. Everyone knows how important Ronaldo can be in the dressing room, he brings a winning mentality and it could have benefited the squad. It was a mistake by Chelsea.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Chelsea have continued to spend big on new recruits, bringing in the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to bolster their attacking unit, but are still being linked with another No.9. Gallas added on that pursuit: “Victor Osimhen to Chelsea? One player won't make the difference and change things around for Chelsea. Even if they buy one striker, you have to be sure the players around him have the quality to supply that striker. The squad is very young, so next year we may see an improvement in the team and they might compete for the Premier League. We have to see how many goals Nicolas Jackson will score, he has eight at the moment. If Jackson cannot reach 15 Premier League goals or more, then Chelsea need a top striker, because at the moment they don't have it. Nicolas Jackson has to prove now. If he doesn't reach between 15 and 20 Premier League goals, it will be difficult for him to keep a place in the team next season. Chelsea will sign a new striker. He has to take his opportunities now, whilst he has them, he needs to work very hard and become more consistent. That's what it takes to play at a big club like Chelsea.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
While Chelsea are always prepared to splash the cash, and any move for Napoli striker Osimhen would not come cheap, they continue to post eye-watering losses and are running the risk of breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations – which could result in a points deduction.