Former Chelsea forward Ruud Gullit believes the Blues are shaping up positively ahead of the new season.
In particular, the Dutch icon has praised the unexpected signings of experienced Premier League campaigners in Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck.
He also thinks new manager Xabi Alonso, who departed La Liga giants Real Madrid midway through last season, appears to be influencing the recruitment at Stamford Bridge for the better.
Having previously questioned Todd Boehly’s ownership consortium over their handling of football matters at Chelsea, Gullit now feels the club is finally following a more sensible path.
Adding experience
Asked to give his thoughts on Chelsea signing veterans such as ex-Liverpool captain Henderson and former Manchester United star Welbeck during an exclusive interview with NY Sports Day, Gullit said: “We spent so much time discussing how Chelsea lacked experience, and now they’ve added pure experience.
“Henderson and Welbeck will be crucial in the dressing room and on the training pitch – they can advise younger players on what mistakes to avoid.
“Their impact isn’t just measured by matchday minutes; it’s what they do during the week.
“You need that guidance in a squad, so the signings make total sense.”
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BlueCo ownership
Discussing the BlueCo ownership group’s struggles in London, Gullit stated: “The new ownership had a vision, but it failed in execution because they arrived with zero background or experience in football.
“American sports management models don’t translate directly to European football.
“They initially thought they could win exclusively with young prospects, but who guides those players when things go wrong?
“On the pitch, they looked frantic and hasty – always playing in fifth gear without any composure or ability to dictate the tempo.
“Now, appointing a manager with a strong footballing background and adding experienced players shows they are finally adjusting their philosophy.
“To win trophies, you must balance youth with experienced leaders who can guide young players.”
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Project Alonso
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Gullit added on Chelsea’s hopes for their new manager: “Alonso will want to prove himself after how things ended at Real Madrid.
“He has all the qualities to be a top manager, and he brings that experience with him to London.
“Initially, I was skeptical about why he chose Chelsea given their rigid structure of handing a manager a squad and telling him to deal with it, but it feels as though Alonso insisted on having a direct say in recruitment before accepting the job.
“The board appears to be listening to him now rather than dictating policy.
“It won’t happen overnight – he needs time to evaluate a very large squad and establish his core group.”
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