Former Leeds striker Noel Whelan has claimed that Chelsea have to be thinking about ‘refreshing’ their midfield even if Ngolo Kante and Jorginho sign new contracts at the club.
The duo see their respective contracts expire come the end of the season with The Times now reporting that renewing their deals is on the club’s agenda following the fresh terms agreed with Reece James.
The Blues smashed the record for highest outlay in a single transfer window as owner Todd Boehly spared no expense splurging £271.1m on eight new signings.
However, Whelan is still fearful for the current condition of their squad and believes they must be looking at improving in the middle of the park.
He told Football Insider: “I think they have to think about refreshing that midfield.
“Yes, Kante and Jorginho will get this extension – because there are no windows open and it’s something they have to do.
“But don’t tell me they won’t be looking for new additions. Every other team is doing just that. Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, Man City.
“They’ll keep the old guard and that experience for now, but they know deep down that they’ll have to find more youth and more longevity in the next two windows.
“It’s not a given just because Jorginho and Kante sign a contract that they won’t be looking elsewhere – they have to.”
Jorginho will be 31 in December while Kante turns 32 in March and considering that Fabio Vieira, Yves Bissouma, Fabio Carvalho and Kalvin Phillips were all bought by Chelsea’s rivals this summer, Whelan does perhaps raise a fair argument.
Conor Gallagher has remained at Stamford Bridge however and the Blues did splash out £20m on teenager Carney Chukwuemeka who Paul Merson labelled an ‘absolute star’ (Sky Sports (via Birmingham Mail).
But it does appear that the west Londoners are aware of the need to reinvigorate their engine room having seen a £43m bid turned down for the 24-year-old Ajax midfielder Edson Alvarez late in the window and whether or not the loan signing of Denis Zakaria (25) works out remains to be seen but it does at least point to the fact that Boehly is savvy to the need for a contingency plan in that area.
