Rio Ferdinand has explained why Chelsea were wrong to offload Mateo Kovacic. Ahead of the summer transfer window, co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley were given the brutal task of conducting a mass exodus at Stamford Bridge, trimming down a bloated squad ready for the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino.
The Blues began by allowing N'Golo Kante to accept a lucrative offer in Saudi Arabia following the expiration of his contract. Then, Chelsea decided to cash-in on Kovacic, who had just one-year remaining on his contract at Stamford Bridge, accepting an offer from Manchester City.
The 29-year-old midfielder played a major role in the west Londoners' recent success, but his performances began to tail off following the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel. And, with a growing risk of losing him for free, Chelsea decided to recuperate £25million, including £5million in add-ons.
While Kovacic's departure marks the start of a long-awaited fresh start, Ferdinand believes that the Blues were wrong to sell him – especially to the reigning Premier League champions. Speaking on his FIVE YouTube channel, the former Manchester United defender highlighted the Croatia international's price tag and what he'll offer Pep Guardiola.
"Man City, Kovacic is a great signing. Obviously they've lost Gundogan, the captain, but I think Kovacic is a shrewd signing, at that price as well.
"I think he was £30m and in the current market, that's huge business, great business. He's full of experience, won the biggest trophies, and a different player to what they have got in that area.
"He can travel with the ball through the lines, so I think he's a good signing. I think they'll go again, City, somewhere else [in the squad]."
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Chelsea look set to replace Kovacic with Moises Caicedo this summer. The 21-year-old midfielder has been heavily linked with an exit from Brighton for a while now following a meteoric rise to superstardom.
In addition to the Ecuador international, Pochettino will also have Cesare Casadei and Andrey Santos at his disposal too. The duo are exciting young prospects in their own right and they could certainly surprise fans if they're given the opportunity to do so.
Which of the following prospects would you like to see in the first team, or loaned out for experience? Swipe to have your say...
