England international Gary Cahill is reportedly contemplating his future with Chelsea, amid rumours of a new centre-back arriving at the club.
Chelsea club captain and England centre-back Gary Cahill could be set for the exit doors at the Stamford Bridge before the next season kicks off, as per reports from the Evening Standard.
The Blues’ skipper joined the West London outfit from Bolton Wanderers for £7 million in January 2012 and has gone on to win six major trophies with the club, including two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League triumph as well.
However, over the course of the last year, Cahill has lost his place as a regular in the first-team, with German international Antonio Rudiger, who arrived from AS Roma last summer, occupying his spot.
And the 32-year old could be set to fall further down the pecking order heading into the new campaign, as Chelsea are understood to be closing in on the £44 million signing of Daniele Rugani from Juventus.
The 2017/18 FA Cup winners already have a large number of options in their defensive ranks. Cesar Azpilicueta, last season’s breakout star Andreas Christensen and Rudiger are likely to be the regulars, with Rugani set to add more competition. Add to that, the likes of Kurt Zouma and Tomas Kalas have also returned after fairly successful loan spells away, while David Luiz still remains on the club’s books as well.
New manager Maurizio Sarri prefers to play with a back four, rather than the three-man defence employed under former boss Antonio Conte, meaning competition for centre-back places is set to increase at the Stamford Bridge.
And that is understood to be the principle reason why Cahill is seeking an exit from the club this summer. The 32-year old is currently away on a holiday, following his involvement in England’s fourth-place finish in the recently concluded 2018 FIFA World Cup. The defender made just a single appearance for the Three Lions’ in Russia.
Cahill is expected to hold talks with the new manager once he returns from his holiday over his future and involvement in the first-team. The former Bolton man has just a year left on his contract with Chelsea.
Considering that he is unlikely to be involved much in the first-team going forward, the West Londoners would be better off cashing in on him before the next season starts, while the player will also get his wishes of playing regularly elsewhere. A win-win situation for all parties involved.
