Scholes gets Chelsea priorities wrong as England duo snubbed in six required Pochettino signings

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12 September 2024, 10:15 yayınlandı

Paul Scholes reckons Mauricio Pochettino needs a “whole new back four” among six summer additions to get Chelsea back challenging for the Premier League title.

Pochettino has reportedly agreed to become Chelsea’s new permanent manager in the summer, after a shocking season in which the Blues could finish as low as 13th, depending on results on the final day.

Despite £600m worth of signings in Todd Boehly’s first two transfer windows as owner of the club, the Blues are widely expected to make several further additions this summer, while the need to trim the bulging squad is a priority.

Chelsea spent over £140m on new centre-backs, with Benoit Badiashile, Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana all joining last summer, as well as Marc Cucurella, who’s operated at left-back and left centre-back, for £60m.

But Scholes reckons that Chelsea still need two new centre-backs, along with a right-back and left-back, despite Reece James and Ben Chilwell being widely considered to be among the best in their positions in the Premier League.

Even if Scholes is suggesting the Blues sign new full-backs as cover for the England internationals, they’ve already got right-back covered with Malo Gusto on his way in the summer having agreed to a £26.3m in January.

“I think he [Pochettino] is going to have to buy a couple of centre-halves, possibly a right-back, possibly a left-back, a whole new back four,” Scholes told Premier League productions.

Scholes also believes Chelsea could do with finding an alternative goalkeeper to Edouard Mendy or Kepa Arrizabalaga, who have been vying for the No.1 spot at Stamford Bridge, while a proper goalscorer should also be high on their list of targets.

“I’m not sure about either goalkeeper,” he added.

“But I think going forward, I always look at a team and I’m excited when they create chances, I think adding a centre-forward to that, they’re always going to create chances and if you’ve got a team who can score goals you’ve always got a chance.”