Sarri bullish as Blues wait for transfer ban verdict
CHELSEA should learn this week whether they are free to buy players this summer or whether their FIFA-imposed transfer ban will stand.
The Blues, who face Manchester United today in a crucial clash for both teams’ Champions League qualification hopes, have appealed against a two-window ban imposed in February for signing under-age non-EU players.
Discussing the prospect of rebuilding with a possible transfer ban, manager Maurizio Sarri said: ‘Of course, with the market, it’s better. But we can improve without the market too, I think.’
Chelsea had expected the ban to be suspended over the summer while they appealed against the sentence, as it was for Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. But FIFA stunned the club by insisting the ban would apply immediately — leaving no scope to replace Eden Hazard, assuming he leaves for Real Madrid for £100million this summer.
However, earlier this month Chelsea appealed against the ban’s immediate enforcement, arguing that given the alleged offences — which they still dispute — took place at the same time as the Spanish clubs, they cannot reasonably be treated differently.
FIFA said they should expect a verdict two weeks after their appeal, which took place on April 11, meaning this week they should hear if they can proceed with plans to sign Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho and a centre forward.
Chelsea would face a tumultuous summer if the ban were imposed. Hazard’s contract runs out in 2020 and the club is aware he won’t sign another deal. Those close to the Chelsea board say they will sell the Belgian to Real Madrid but are expecting the Spanish club to pay £100m. Christian Pulisic, who will fill the wide right attacking role, signed in January for £58m and will join up with the team this summer after finishing with Borussia Dortmund.
But with injured teenage star Callum Hudson-Odoi also not about to sign a new deal and free to negotiate with Bayern Munich, his preferred move, in January, managing director Marina Granovskaia will have to use all her acumen to ensure the club doesn’t fall further behind Manchester City and Liverpool, which is why today’s game and qualification for the Champions League is so important.
Sarri insists that next season he will be able to close the gap on City — currently 22 points — with or without a transfer ban. And he sent a clear message to the board, who considered dismissing him in February, that he wants to stay and rebuild the club. ‘The Premier League is wonderful, and I want to remain,’ he said. ‘I want to remain in Chelsea because the level is very, very high.
‘I am sure that, in two seasons, we will be able to be close to them [City and Liverpool]. But I am not sure that, in two seasons, we will be able to be better than them.’
Sarri has also attributed some of troubles in imposing his distinct playing style this season to his late appointment.
He was only confirmed as manager on 14 July, despite the fact that the decision to fire Antonio Conte had been taken weeks before.
Asked if the delay in confirming his appointment had hindered him, Sarri said: ‘I think so, because we had only two or three weeks for working. Probably I needed time to get used to the English football. Not only to English football, but used to this club. And so now, in the next season, probably I will be able to give more to my players.
‘Now the players they are improving. But at the moment we are not able, in the offensive phase, to play with the right speed; with the right intensity, but also with the right speed of the ball. Because, sometimes, we move the ball too slowly. So we are predictable, I think. We need to learn to move the ball at another speed and, of course, if I want to move the ball so fast, I need more movements without the ball.’
If Sarri stays and the transfer ban is upheld if will be intriguing to see if the army of academy graduates and teenage signings at the club finally come into their own. However, in the 16 years of the Roman Abramovich era only Ruben Loftus-Cheek and now, possibly, Hudson-Odoi have graduated from the academy to become first-team regulars.