Liam Rosenior has hinted that Chelsea’s transfer strategy could change this summer, but insists their priority now is to finish the season successfully.
The Chelsea head coach will lead his team against Newcastle on Saturday Night Football at Stamford Bridge, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, in what will be a big game for the Blues’ top five prospects.
It came after a late collapse against Paris Saint-Germain damaged Chelsea’s Champions League chances, with Chelsea losing 5-2 in the first leg of their last-16 tie in France.
The defeat raised further questions about the experience and temperament of Chelsea’s squad, which has seen its share of red cards this season as well, costing them powerful positions on the pitch.
Saturday, March 14th 5pm
5:30pm kickoff
Chelsea have focused on recruiting young players over the past four seasons, with the average age of their line-up being 23.5 years old, making them the youngest in the top flight.
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Liam Rosenior has given his honest assessment of the incident with Pedro Neto’s ball boy during Chelsea’s 5-2 Champions League defeat against PSG.
Asked if he would like to sign any senior players this summer to make an immediate impact on a developing group, Rosenior said: “We have experience here and we will see that in the summer.”
“We’ll find out in the summer.
“Right now we’re having those conversations, but my job is to finish the season as well as possible. It’s not bright to talk about transfer business and deals in March.
“The idea is to win. That’s what myself, the sporting director and the ownership all agree on.”
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Reece James and Liam Rosenior share their thoughts after it was announced that the Chelsea captain has signed a new six-year contract with the club.
Rosenior said the age of his players should not be confused with their experience, and believes their position should not be underestimated as Chelsea progress to the FA Cup quarter-finals in fifth place with a second leg against PSG coming up.
“There’s always a need for balance,” he told Roman Kemp on Friday’s Premier League. “We talk about age, but sometimes age is not proportional to experience. Andrei Santos is 21 years old, but he already plays for Brazil and is the captain of the team. It’s not just about age.”
“Even Wednesday night (against PSG) was difficult, but it was an incredible learning experience for the group and for me. You grow and improve when you learn from experience.
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Gail Davies gives verdict on Chelsea’s disappointing night against PSG
“We want to win now and we’ll keep working towards it, but I don’t think we’re as far away as people think.”
Rosenior said there had already been discussions about summer transfer targets, but stressed the importance of finishing in the Premier League and qualifying for the Champions League.
“This is a big thing for any club,” he said. “Qualifying for the Champions League is very important for our standing as a club and what we want to do in the transfer market to compete at the highest level. This is what a club of this size should at least aim for.”
“We’re in a position to attack there. Saturday is another game and if we can get the details right and play with intensity, we hope to beat a really good Newcastle team and get closer to that desire.”
He added, “I’m not forgetting the next game and I’m looking forward to what’s going to happen.”
