Thomas Tuchel has been warned by former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel of the risks that come with signing players from the Serie A. The Blues have been heavily linked with several defenders from Italy this summer amid the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Speaking on Nigerian radio network NaijaFM 102.7, Mikel outlined why Romelu Lukaku struggled to acclimatise to the Premier League upon his return to Stamford Bridge. The 35-year-old spoke of the challenges that players face when adapting to the physical demands of English football.
And, with Chelsea linked with a handful of Serie A's leading centre-backs, Mikel's admission could prove costly. The former Blues midfielder said: "The league, the league is totally different. The English league is too powerful, too strong, too fast, whereas the Italian league is too slow.
