Former Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has reportedly encouraged new Blues manager Xabi Alonso to pursue a summer move for Manchester City defender John Stones, as Chelsea continue to assess options to strengthen their back line ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Alonso, who recently arrived at Stamford Bridge following a highly successful spell in management, is expected to oversee a significant squad review during his first transfer window. While Chelsea’s recruitment team has been linked with several young defensive prospects, Cole believes the club should also target proven Premier League experience, with Stones emerging as a potential candidate.
The former England international has enjoyed a trophy-laden career at Manchester City, winning multiple Premier League titles, domestic cups and the Champions League under Pep Guardiola. However, injuries have limited his appearances over the past two seasons, and it was confirmed a few weeks ago that he is leaving Manchester City.
‘We don’t know what the finances are,’ Cole told football.london when asked about CHELSEA’s plans for the summer transfer window.
‘So it’s alright saying that we’re going to buy that player and buy that player. We may have to sell players, we don’t know.
‘One thing we’re sure we don’t want is wholesale changes because these young players that you had belief in three years ago: they’re still the same players.
‘They just need what I’ve been saying for two or three years, where you have experience around them within the group that helps them through games to coach them, whilst on the pitch to give them their wisdom, you know, and build it out that way.
‘Even if you’re just selling players, there’s ones that are not going to get near it. That’s not for me to say, that’s for them to work out.
‘And then you bring in your John Stones and Robert Lewandowski and players on a free transfer who don’t need to play every minute of every game, but they understand winning, they understand culture and they can still help out in the pitch and do bits.
‘The current players need that, they’ve got it within the group, it can’t be from coaches, all the time. ‘All the great teams are coached from within their own dressing room and its knowledge and wisdom passed down over the years.
‘It just baffles me how people just don’t understand that. But hopefully, they [the Chelsea owners] have read the room and that’s the way they go now.
‘If not, if they don’t, then it’ll be all much of the same. CHELSEA will be better next year and they’ll probably say we’re on the way up again. But you once you get back up, you’ll always hit the same ceilings.
‘When you get to elite level, you need experience, you need wisdom and you need quality.’
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