LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 05: Danny Drinkwater of Chelsea looks dejected following his side’s defeat during the FA Community Shield between Manchester City and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 5, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
With the appointment of Maurizio Sarri as the head coach following Antonio Conte’s sacking, a couple of changes have taken place at Chelsea this summer.
Roman Abramovich and co were hare-footed enough in recruiting Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri to succeed Antonio Conte at the Stamford Bridge. As is always the case when managerial changes are made, Chelsea, too, have undergone a few alterations regarding their style of play and the transfer policies.
Sarri has managed to bring a positive vibe at the Cobham training centre, which is very good news for some players, but also an unfavourable one for some others. With the Italian tactician at the helm, David Luiz seems to have found a new lease of life. On the other hand, some players are already exploring their options should the opportunity to leave the Bridge present itself to them.
Without further ado, here’s a look at three players who are certainly in the dark regarding their futures at the club.
#3 Danny Drinkwater
When he was at Chelsea, Antonio Conte roped in Danny Drinkwater for €37.90 million from Leicester City, in the hopes that he and French maestro N’Golo Kante would recreate the magic at Stamford Bridge that they conjured in the Foxes’ title-winning 2015-16 campaign. It’s safe to say that the move has backfired.
The 28-year-old made only 22 appearances in all competitions for the Blues in what was a disastrous campaign for them. Maurizio Sarri has clearly confided in the midfielder that he was free to leave this summer. However, he failed to find new employers. He has played only 30 minutes of football this season; the minutes were afforded to him as a substitute in the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Antonio Conte signed Ross Barkley for a €16.9 million fee in the winter transfer window last year. Maurizio Sarri also strengthened his midfield options with the acquisitions of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic from Napoli and Real Madrid respectively. A presence of such sturdy competition certainly doesn’t help Danny Drinkwater’s cause, who has fallen very much down the pecking order at the club.
Further, he has also been omitted from the Europa League squad, which appears to be the final nail in the coffin for his career at the Stamford Bridge.
€37.90 million</a> from Leicester City, in the hopes that he and French maestro N’Golo Kante would recreate the magic at Stamford Bridge that they conjured in the Foxes’ title-winning 2015-16 campaign. It’s safe to say that the move has backfired.</p>
<p>The 28-year-old made only 22 appearances in all competitions for the Blues in what was a disastrous campaign for them. Maurizio Sarri has clearly <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://metro.co.uk/2018/09/06/maurizio-sarri-drops-danny-drinkwater-from-chelseas-europa-league-squad-7918796/">confided in the midfielder that he was free to leave this summer. However, he failed to find new employers. He has played only 30 minutes of football this season; the minutes were afforded to him as a substitute in the Community Shield against Manchester City.</p>
<p>Antonio Conte signed Ross Barkley for a <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://www.transfermarkt.com/ross-barkley/profil/spieler/131978">€16.9 million</a> fee in the winter transfer window last year. Maurizio Sarri also strengthened his midfield options with the acquisitions of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic from Napoli and Real Madrid respectively. A presence of such sturdy competition certainly doesn’t help Danny Drinkwater’s cause, who has fallen very much down the pecking order at the club.</p>
<p>Further, he has also been omitted from the Europa League squad, which appears to be the final nail in the coffin for his career at the Stamford Bridge.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. Davide Zappacosta </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-462396 size-large" src=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1045728426-850x560.jpeg" alt="Davide Zappacosta of Chelsea" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 04: Davide Zappacosta of Chelsea during the UEFA Europa League Group L match between Chelsea and Vidi FC at Stamford Bridge on October 4, 2018 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>#2 Davide Zappacosta</h3>
<p>Antonio Conte was quick to poach Italian right-back Davide Zappacosta for a fee in the region of <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://www.transfermarkt.com/davide-zappacosta/transfers/spieler/173859">€25 million</a> from Italian outfit Torino on the deadline day in the summer of 2017. He was roped in to provide a healthy competition to Victor Moses, who had apparently flourished in his new right wing-back role at the Stamford Bridge.</p>
<p>However, with Antonio Conte gone, the 26-year-old’s future at the club looks more uncertain than ever.</p>
<p>When Zappacosta arrived, Chelsea operated in 3-5-2 formation that had Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso as the first-choice wing-backs, with Zappacosta providing the ideal cover for Moses on the right. Conte also deployed right-back Cesar Azpilicueta as a right center-back in the three-man defence alongside any two of Gary Cahill, Antonio Rudiger, David Luiz and Andreas Christensen as the remaining two center-backs.</p>
<p>However, with Sarri having reverted to a four-man defence, Azpilicueta has been reinstated in his original role as a right-back. WIth Victor Moses functioning as the second-choice right-back, Zappacosta has fallen down the pecking order and might as well consider leaving London, should the right offer present itself on the table.</p>
<p>According to <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/28/chelsea-defender-davide-zappacosta-could-leave-in-january-after-confirming-inter-milan-interest-7890326/">Metro, the Italian defender is open to a switch back to his home country with Inter Milan showing their interest in acquiring his services. It remains to be seen whether he decides to bide his time or trigger the transfer option in search of regular playing opportunities.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 1. Cesc Fabregas </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-462403 size-large" src=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1046064752-850x560.jpeg" alt="Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">London, England – October 04:<br>Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas<br>during UAFA Europa League Group L between Chelsea and MOL Vidia at Stamford Bridge stadium , London, England on 04 Oct 2018.<br>(Photo by Action Foto Sport/NurPhoto via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>#1 Cesc Fabregas</h3>
<p>Now, Cesc Fabregas was actually very <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-fc-latest-news-cesc-fabregas-maurizio-sarri-premier-league-epl-a8571636.html">happy when the club hierarchy decided that Maurizio Sarri was the right man to take over from Antonio Conte as the steward of the club this summer. The Spanish midfielder has stated his intent on continuing as a Blues player beyond his current contract which expires next summer.</p>
<p>However, Chelsea are don’t seem to be <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/players/cesc-fabregas-chelsea-news-contract-15245758">thinking on the same lines</a> as he does.</p>
<p>Cesc Fabregas has yet to receive a contract extension, not to mention that he is far from being the first-choice midfielder amongst the likes of Kovacic, Kante, Barkley and Jorginho. Furthermore, even if he does land a new contract, how frequently will he be put to use by the new manager?</p>
<p>The Spaniard successfully found his way into Conte’s 3-5-2 system, but more as a luxury than the necessities. His frail defensive attributes will be a cause of concern for Sarri, who demands physicality from his midfielder.</p>
<p>Make no mistake, Fabregas is a genius when it comes to technicality and creating chances; the 31-year-old can whip a defence-splitting pass in the blink of an eye for his fellow forwards to score, but his one-dimensional style of play is far from fitting for the Italian’s 4-3-3 system.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Can Eden Hazard carry Chelsea to a title?" data-url="https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/08/eden-hazard-drag-chelsea-premier-league-title/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #0" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/09/three-players-absolutely-no-future-chelsea/"https://playingfor90.com/2018/10/08/eden-hazard-drag-chelsea-premier-league-title/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Can Eden Hazard carry Chelsea to a title? </a> </div>
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<p>Chelsea has no shortage of wealth when it comes to midfielders who can provide tenacity in the center of the park; Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante have ensured Sarri has all the ammunition he needs in the midfield.</p>
<p>Amongst this lot, Cesc Fabregas is far from appearing week in week out for the club, which is why the future of his ageing body at the Stamford Bridge is seemingly more precarious than ever.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">