Chelsea club captain Gary Cahill would be free to leave the Blues in January if he wanted, according to manager Maurizio Sarri.
Cahill has featured just seven times for Chelsea across all competitions this season, with only one of those appearances coming in the Premier League.
What has happened to Cahill at Chelsea? Five key things to know…
- After turning his Chelsea career around towards the end of last season, Cahill has fallen out of favour once more.
- The Englishman has been largely restricted to cup competitions with David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger the favoured centre-back pairing of Maurizio Sarri.
- Despite being confirmed as club captain in November, Cahill is also behind Andreas Christensen as back-up.
- And Sarri has now revealed Cahill does not have the technical ability required for a place on the Chelsea bench.
- Gary Cahill has won seven trophies since joining Chelsea in 2012: two Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, one League Cup, one Europa League and the Champions League.
The centre-back has been mostly utilised in the Europa League and Carabao Cup, though will not be a part of Chelsea’s match against MOL Vidi on Thursday due to injury.
Cahill had already seen his playing time cut by Antonio Conte last season with Andreas Christensen favoured, before a late revival of his Blues career.
However, Maurizio Sarri’s arrival has seen Cahill drop back down the pecking order – despite remaining as club captain – with David Luiz promoted back into the starting XI.
And Sarri has now admitted Cahill does not have the technical ability required to be a part of his Chelsea side.
“I respect him very much because he has won everything with this club, but then I have to do my job,” Sarri told reporters at a press conference.
“Every match I have to choose. For me, it is not [possible] to have him on the bench.
“Maybe he is the best [of our defenders] in the box, but our defenders may play 100 or 110 balls in a match so I need defenders [to play] very technically.”
As a result, Sarri also confirmed Cahill would be free to leave Chelsea in January should he wish to do so, with the centre-back’s current contract up at the end of the season.
“It is not my decision, it is up to him and the club [whether he stays],” he added.
“He is in the last year of the contract, he has to decide for a new contract here or another club.
“For the [players] over 30 the club usually offers only one year of contract. If he has an offer of three years [somewhere else] he can, of course, choose something. It doesn’t depend if I am sentimental or not.”
Is Cahill’s Chelsea career over?
Upon his arrival at Chelsea in the summer, Sarri was quick to play down reports of Cahill leaving the club, saying: “Gary Cahill can still give us a lot. In keeping the English players, something must be left.”
However, things have taken a turn for the worse since then, with Cahill previously speaking about the potential of leaving Chelsea in order to gain more playing time.
Speaking in September, Cahill said: “I don’t want to jump the gun but as things stand at this time, probably, yes [I might have to leave in January].
“Whatever my future holds, in terms of the club, and the relationship I have with the club and the fans, it will have been a huge part of my footballing life. I’ve got maximum respect for everybody here.
“I realise that sometimes you have to make tough decisions and football doesn’t wait for people. Sometimes you have to make those decisions to keep going and progressing.”
At that time, Cahill was yet to feature for Chelsea, with his first appearance of the season coming in the Blues’ 0-0 draw with West Ham United in the Premier League as he came on to replace the injured Antonio Rudiger.
Four Europa League appearances and two League Cup matches have followed but, given Sarri’s damning message about Cahill’s ability, the centre-back could well be on his way out of Stamford Bridge after seven years.
The post “It’s not possible to have him on the bench” – Cahill free to leave Chelsea in January says Sarri appeared first on Squawka News.
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