Former France and Monaco defensive midfielder, Emmanuel Laurent Petit, has urged Chelsea to refrain from making a move for a striker in the summer, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 53-year-old Frenchman won the 1998 FIFA World Cup alongside the Euro 2000. He joined Chelsea in 2001 where he played for another three years before retiring due to a nasty knee injury.
Chelsea’s woes in front of goal this season has seen Mauricio Pochetinno identify a central striker as his major need when the club ventures into the transfer market this summer.
Victor Osimhen is a name that has been mentioned repeatedly in the club’s circle as a potential striker to play at the Stamford Bridge next year. Santiago Gimenez and Victor Gyokeres have also been linked with the two-time UEFA Champions League winners.
Petit, on the other hand, believes the former Tottenham Hotspur manager has more than enough players to turn Chelsea into a great team again, watering down the need for a huge signing.
“I don’t think Chelsea need Gyokeres or Osimhen. With Chelsea, there are so many players who are not playing to their level and can do so much more. I think Nicolas Jackson is one of them. He’s got lots of potential and has shown it in glimpses but he needs to do more. I think Caicedo needs to too and so does the Argentine midfielder, Enzo,” Petit told Genting Casino.
Chelsea signed Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez for a combined fee of £222m, but so far, they’ve not proved to be worth the price tag as Chelsea are still in the bottom half of the Premier League table, but Petit believes it is a confidence issue.
“Many players don’t play the way they should, there’s no confidence, they’re lost on the pitch, and it’s the same with Jackson. He’s struggling as the team is struggling. He’s not the type to dribble past four or five defenders and score, he’s not like that, but when Chelsea improves as a team, he will improve. That’s why I don’t think Chelsea needs to sign a striker, they need to stop spending so much,” the former French defender added.
Paris Saint-Germain are keen on the services of Victor Osimhen as they look to replace the seemingly Madrid-bound Kylian Mbappe.
