Ruud Gullit tells Chelsea which signing should be transfer priority No 1 this summer – Exclusive | OneFootball

Former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit has told TEAMtalk the Blues are lacking in one key area in their side and has urged BlueCo to take a more methodical approach to this summer’s transfer market to fix a position he feels is needed to “punish” the opposition.

The American consortium took charge at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2022 after Roman Abramovich was forced to sell his interest in the club, bringing an end to his glorious and trophy-filled 19-year ownership of Chelsea.

And while the new regime had to wait until last year before winning their first major honours – Enzo Maresca leading the club to success in the UEFA Conference League and then the Club World Cup – it is a relatively poor return for the astonishing £1.5 billion (€1.7bn, $2bn) they have spent on new players.

That outlay across their eight transfer windows at the helm has seen an avalanche of players arrive – and subsequently depart – in SW6 over that three and a half year reign, which astonishingly still leaves some glaring holes in their side.

Indeed, sources can confirm that the Blues still very much intend to sign a new central defender this summer after missing out on Jeremy Jacquet to Liverpool on transfer deadline day.

The Rennes defender will move to Anfield in a £60m (€69m, $81m) move this summer after snubbing overtures from the Blues.

Chelsea are also continually linked with a new goalkeeper, amid ongoing doubts over the form of Robert Sanchez and whether the Spaniard has the qualities needed to win the biggest trophies in the game.

Despite all that, Gullit, insists the club should prioritise an addition in the centre of the park, feeling they lack a true midfield leader who can control the tempo of games and help draw the opposition out.

“Chelsea are a little bit too frantic for my liking,” Gullit exclusively told TEAMtalk in association with gamblinginsider. There’s no player or leader of reference in that team who gives them a little bit of peace or holds the ball without giving it away – that’s something that they lack a little bit. It’s all too nervous on the pitch when they play.

“You don’t always need to attack when you have the ball. Sometimes you can lure the opposition out of position and then punish them, but they don’t have that patience or willingness to hold the ball. It’s as if they’re always playing at 100 miles an hour. It’s too much, in my opinion.”

Meanwhile, we can reveal what Chelsea plan to do next after their plan to sign Mike Maignan via free agency fell through after the Frenchman agreed on fresh terms with AC Milan.

And we can reveal the huge door that is set to swing open for a hugely talented 20-year-old prospect currently shining in France, off the back of that news.

Elsewhere, we understand that Chelsea are primed to go head-to-head with Manchester United for the signing of a Nottingham Forest ace, and it’s NOT Elliot Anderson.

We also understand the  Blues want to complement Cole Palmer by landing a big-money deal for one of the Premier League’s top performers this season, sources have told TEAMtalk, though any move would need them to fork out a giant £100m-plus transfer fee first.