Chelsea urged to make shock offer to sign ‘amazing’ Manchester City legend

Chelsea have been urged to make an offer (Picture: Getty)

Emmanuel Petit has urged Chelsea to ‘sign more experienced players’ if they have ambitions to compete for the Premier League title next season.

Chelsea’s season is threatening to implode with Liam Rosenior’s side suffering six defeats in their last seven games.

The Blues were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG before the international break and Saturday’s loss to Manchester United was their fourth successive Premier League defeat.

That alarming run of form has seen Chelsea slip to sixth in the Premier League, seven points outside the Champions League places.

The general consensus is that Chelsea’s transfer strategy of almost exclusively signing young and talented players with sell-on value is one of the reasons for the team’s malaise.

Emmanuel Petit says it is ‘very important’ for Chelsea to add more experience to the squad at Stamford Bridge and has urged his former club to make an audacious move for departing Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva.

Silva, 31, announced last week that he will leave Man City when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly (Picture: Getty)

The Portuguese midfielder has made over 450 appearances for City and last month’s Carabao Cup win was his 15th major trophy at the Etihad Stadium.

‘How can Chelsea compete for the title? Sign more experienced players that can bring more confidence, that can be the link between this young generation, that can be the link with the manager as well, that can be the image for the fans,’ Petit told Andy’s Bet Club.

‘I think this is very important for me. They have spent so much money on good players but most of them have been disappointing because there is no serenity into this club.

Departing Manchester City captain Bernardo Silva (Picture: Getty)

‘Every single six months you get new players into the dressing room. Who knows what’s going to happen at the end of this season before the World Cup?

‘Maybe it’s going to be the same. Maybe six, seven players will leave and five or six players will come into the club.

‘You can’t do that every single season. I’ve been saying that for ages. If you want to get success into the club you need to find calm on the bench but as well into the club, which means stick with your players.

‘You can add sometimes two or three players, but the way they’ve been working, the owners need to change their vision because even the players don’t recognize themselves in your project. 

Under-fire Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior (Picture: Getty)

‘I think experienced players for me is the most important. Quality players, very experienced players, a strong goalkeeper, central defenders, top players with character and personality in the spine of the team.’

Petit, who finished his career at Chelsea, added: ‘Bernardo Silva would be a great signing but if I’m Silva, I’m not going to Chelsea. No, I’m definitely not going over there.

‘Remember two years ago, I think Guardiola wanted Silva to leave the club. He was not even in the first-team sometimes. And it changed everything.

‘For me, he’s been such an amazing player for City and the Premier League. He’s so intelligent. His movement, his tactics. And I really like him as a person too. I think he’s a very, very important player both on and off the pitch. He’s an intelligent guy.

‘It’s not a question of money, he has so much money as well. If he goes to Chelsea, he will have nightmares. He will have trouble sleeping at night.’

Silva helped Manchester City win a stunning treble in 2022-23 and four successive Premier League titles between 2021 and 2024.

Announcing his decision to leave the club at the end of the season, Silva said on social media: ‘What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart.

‘The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the four in a row and much more. It wasn’t that bad.

‘My main goal as a player was to always play with passion so you guys could feel proud and well represented on the pitch. I hope you felt that every single game.

‘I arrived as a Man City player, I leave as one more of you, a Man City supporter for life. Keep supporting this young team and I’m pretty sure they will bring you a lot of new fantastic memories in the future.

‘Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.’

Silva was part of the Manchester City team that clinched a crucial victory over Premier League title rivals Arsenal on Sunday.

That 2-1 win at the Etihad Stadium means the title is in Man City’s hands with six games remaining, though Pep Guardiola’s side still trail Arsenal by three points.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments Add as preferred source