Enzo Maresca, the newly appointed Chelsea manager, has been advised to offload two of the club’s costly signings – Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi – who together set the Blues back £70m.
The Italian tactician, taking over from Mauricio Pochettino, has committed to a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge, with an option for an additional year.
Although Maresca’s official start date is in the upcoming month, he’s already strategising for his squad. With several players rumoured to be joining the Blues and others potentially on their way out, former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel shared his thoughts on the matter.
Speaking on The Obi One Podcast, Mikel suggested, “Thiago Silva is leaving, we need a couple of centre-halves,” and added, “I don’t think Benoit Badiashile is the guy for Chelsea, no.”
He further commented on Disasi: “[Axel] Disasi, no. They’re still young players, they will develop. We need proven, two top centre-backs who will come in there and stabilise that back four. We need that. We need two world-class centre-halves.”
Both French defenders, Disasi and Badiashile, were acquired for a hefty sum, with Badiashile arriving from Monaco last summer for £38m and making 44 appearances in his first season.
Disasi, also signed from Monaco but two seasons prior, has had fewer chances to play, with only 33 appearances to his name. Disasi’s contract extends until 2029, while Badiashile has six more years left on his agreement.
Chelsea’s defensive options include Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, and young talent Alfie Gilchrist. Despite this, the club is still linked with several defenders, having already secured the capture of Tosin Adarabioyo.
Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “We are delighted to bring Tosin to Chelsea. Throughout his career, he has showcased his maturity and defensive qualities and has gained a wealth of experience in the Premier League in recent seasons.
“He is ready to make the step up to Chelsea and work alongside the talented players in our squad. We look forward to Tosin joining up with us for pre-season.”
