Exclusive: Fabrizio Romano offers transfer advice to incoming Chelsea sporting director Christoph Freund

Posted by

With Chelsea closing in on appointing Christoph Freund as their new sporting director, transfer news expert Fabrizio Romano has made it clear he’d make a new midfielder a top priority for the new man in charge of recruitment at Stamford Bridge.

Freund has a hugely impressive record in the transfer market from his time with current club Red Bull Salzburg, and it will be intriguing to see what he can do in his new role alongside Chelsea owner Todd Boehly and manager Graham Potter in this new-look Blues set-up.

Romano says the Freund deal looks set to be completed soon, and he thinks Chelsea’s new recruitment chief would do well to strengthen the team’s midfield as a priority.

N’Golo Kante and Jorginho will both be out of contract at the end of this season, and arguably already look past their best anyway, so there does certainly look to be some room for one or two new additions in that area of the pitch.

Is it time for Chelsea to strengthen in midfield?

“In my personal opinion, they need some energy and freshness in the midfield,” Romano wrote in his latest CaughtOffside column.

“It’s important to understand what’s gonna happen with Kante and Jorginho’s contracts; I think they will focus on a new midfielder in 2023.

“Now it will take some time to understand Freund and Potter’s priorities.”

Chelsea had a busy summer bringing in big names like Raheem Sterling, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella, but they haven’t really done much in midfield.

Denis Zakaria joined on loan on Deadline Day, but it remains to be seen how much of a role he’ll end up having in Potter’s side.

More Stories Christoph Freund Fabrizio Romano Graham Potter Jorginho N'Golo Kante