Ex-Chelsea player explains why club 'will not win major trophies' with current squad-building approach

Frank Leboeuf "can't see" Chelsea winning any major trophies unless they alter their approach in the transfer market.

The Blues have raised eyebrows around the footballing world with their transfer strategy since being taken over by an ownership group led by American businessman Todd Boehly, as the London club have preferred to sign several younger, unproven players to long-term deals in recent years.

It's an approach that could work for selling clubs, but Leboeuf is not convinced that Chelsea can expect to win anything without adding experience and stability to the mix.

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The retired defender, who spent five years at Stamford Bridge at the turn of the century, credits manager Enzo Maresca for getting the most out of the squad but cannot see the club taking a step further without a shift in their team-building model.

“It’s a miracle to see Chelsea in the top four. If you’d told me last season that they would be in fourth place, I would not have believed you,” Leboeuf told BetVictor. “The problem is that they are building something that they are ready to destroy at the end of each season, as any player can be sold to make money. You don’t win things this way.

“I see Enzo Maresca getting the blame for this. In my eyes, you can take any coach in the world, Chelsea will not win major trophies now. This isn’t the fault of Maresca, they need to stop changing the coach – it won’t change anything. The club must stand by him, as he is doing a good job.

“Their model of purchasing youth talent to make profit is a sustainable method for making profit as a football club, but you will not win major trophies being run in this way. If the club continue with the model, this will upset fans in the process, and I can’t see them winning trophies.

“They have some great young talent in the squad, but they need to refine it a bit to add those experienced players in order to take the next step and win some major silverware.”

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