Chelsea’s Wesley Fofana: ‘Every error you make, the fans remember the price tag.’ | OneFootball

There was a weight of expectation when Wesley Fofana joined Chelsea for a fee of just over €80m back in the summer of 2022. Having shown great promise at Leicester City, much of that expectation was based on the price that the London club paid to acquire the Frenchman’s services.

However, those expectations have yet to be met. The defender has struggled for fitness since joining Chelsea, and so across three and a half seasons, he has played just 60 games. Rhythm has been a problem and even when he has returned, his minutes have had to be carefully managed, particularly under Enzo Maresca last season.

Fofana reveals mental toll of injuries

Speaking on Téléfoot, Fofana has now revealed that the price tag had an impact on him. “I wanted to do too much. I wanted to justify the price too much, but now I’ve accepted it. I have got down to work and that has allowed me to get back to form,” said the France international in an interview conducted before his performance against Burnley over the weekend. With Chelsea 1-0 up, he was sent off before the Blues conceded late on. The game finished 1-1. 

He added, “It is hard when you’re coming back from injury. You doubt everything. You tell yourself that you’re no longer the same player, that you have lost everything. Every error you make, the fans remember the price tag, but it is part of the game.”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle