Chelsea should have bought James Maddison or James Ward-Prowse, with Todd Boehly’s ownership group accused of prioritising profit.

Former Blues great Frank Leboeuf believes major concerns should be posed about Stamford Bridge’s recruitment approach. Premier League heavyweights in west London have spent more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) on new players, but the majority of that money has gone to young stars with long contracts and future selling possibilities.

Leboeuf told BetVictor that Chelsea’s board has the wrong priorities: “I don’t comprehend what the club’s owners are doing. Why did Chelsea let James Maddison move to Tottenham last summer? Why did they allow James Ward-Prowse move to West Ham? Why aren’t they at Chelsea? These guys didn’t cost much, but they added a lot to their clubs. Chelsea had these possibilities in the transfer market, but we now know that these kind of players were not on their radar; instead, they want to sign young, brilliant players on long-term contracts to make money.

The lack of results was evident in their defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. Chelsea is not yet a team prepared to win again. Hopefully, losing the final will inspire something new in the team. Hopefully, some of their egos will be bruised, and they will then demonstrate something different. They can react well, and they may still have many finals remaining in their Chelsea careers, so you must learn from their experiences. Even though it is nasty and painful, losing teaches you more than victory.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s future at Chelsea has been thrown into question as the club struggles for consistency on the pitch. Leboeuf is not convinced that another change in the dugout is necessary, saying: “I don’t think it would be a good thing for Chelsea to get go of Pochettino. Chelsea has changed coaches several times in recent years due to poor results, but the fact is that they do not now have the talent to produce results. The owners bet on Chelsea’s training, infrastructure, and future, but they still expect immediate results. Are you kidding me? It does not operate like that. When Pochettino signed, I didn’t anticipate much from him, and if they leave

There will be the same problems. Pochettino has begun to make his mark, and there are noticeable changes; just let him work! He will perform well at Chelsea, but the outcomes are not only his responsibility; the players must also accept responsibility. Chelsea currently does not have a good enough roster to blame the manager for poor performances. They have many talented players, but they do not have a team. It will take some time, and hiring a new manager will only set the team back.

Chelsea has dropped to 11th in the Premier League table after missing out on European qualification last season, and the FA Cup is now their only chance to win major silverware in 2024, with Championship promotion hopefuls Leeds set to face them in the fifth round on Wednesday.