Former Chelsea star Frank Lebouef, has advised the club against allowing either Conor Gallagher or Ruben Loftus-Cheek to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Chelsea want a smaller size of squad for incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino before the end of the month in order to meet UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations.
The club could watch the likes of high-profile players such as Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante leave the west London club amid pressure to sell.
But Lebouef does not think that Gallagher, Loftus-Cheek and Carney Chukwuemeka should be sold this summer.
“Chukwuemeka, Gallager and maybe Loftus-Cheek are leaving, I think it doesn’t give you too many options to fulfil that spot and make sure you are going to be competitive and that is a concern,” Lebouef told ESPN FC.
“Either Gallagher or Loftus-Cheek should stay to maybe substitute, but you cannot leave only two players in that situation.
“Look at Kovacic, he’s going to sign for Manchester City, where Rodri and John Stones are the guys playing normally there, so for me he’s going as a substitute.
“Chelsea have to make sure they are strong in the middle of the park because we all know the battle is there.”
