Chelsea have built a pretty great squad under Maurizio Sarri, with the Italian making a few changes to the squad in an effort to freshen things up. Jorginho has come in, whilst Ruben Loftus-Cheek has come back after a loan spell away from the club, whilst recent captures like Ross Barkley and Antonio Rudiger have become crucial under the Italian.
That has, naturally, reduced the role that many former Chelsea regulars have had in the squad. There’s certainly been a concerted effort to reduce the average age of the squad, and with good reason. Lots of Chelsea’s so-called old guard are past their best, and replacements were needed.
One man that has found his time in the team limited this season is Gary Cahill, and unfortunately for him, that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, it’s certainly fair to argue that he’s on the verge of a Stamford Bridge exit.
The re-emergence of David Luiz has put Cahill in a very tough spot, as he’s fallen far down the pecking order. What’s more, the fine form of Antonio Rudiger alongside Luiz means that they’ve formed a formidable partnership, with little room for change. With the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Andreas Christensen also in the mix, Cahill’s hardly an obvious choice to come in immediately due to an injury or suspension, either.
Furthermore, the swap from a five-man defence to a four-man system was always going to force someone out, and Cahill has been an unfortunate casualty. He lost his place for much of last season even in the system requiring more defenders, and despite winning it back towards the end of the season, it’s evident that he was a level below the form that he had shown previously.
At 33-years-old, Cahill is coming towards the end of his career, and with his form dwindling, and Chelsea looking to improve their squad, it doesn’t bode well for him.
With just over six months to go on his current contract, selling Cahill for a small fee in January makes sense, but if not, it’s tough to offer any reason for the offer of a new contract before next summer.
Thoughts?
