Having missed out on European competition the season before, Chelsea are currently in a transition period as they move from the old guard into the new era.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Frank Leboeuf believes that the club should start looking at the future with the likes of Ivanovic and Terry in the twilight years of their career.
I hope this season they will go back to who they are and where they should be — and that is the top four, challenging for the title — but they have to think of the future.
Some players are older now. There are not only question marks over John Terry, but Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic as well.
After 5-year stint which concluded in 206 domestic appearances for the club, the Frenchman admits he still supports Chelsea and believes the club should plan for the future, 15 years after his Chelsea career game to an end.
I am a Chelsea fan, even though I don’t play for them anymore, and last season was a very bad season.
It was not what you expected from Chelsea, with all the fantastic players they have. It was a very bad season.
I hope this season they will go back to who they are and where they should be — and that is the top four, challenging for the title — but they have to think of the future.
Those players have had a fantastic time at Chelsea, but maybe now it is time to think about the future.
Leboeuf – currently an ESPN analyst – believes that his former club would benefit more of bring in younger players and developing players from their youth system, something the club have struggled to do in the Abramovich era.
They went for John Stones last year and maybe players like that are now the way to go. We want to get stronger and you have to accept you can only do this by getting rid of great players when they are past their prime.
Look at Paris Saint-Germain, they let Zlatan Ibrahimovic go because they felt they needed to go to the next step and a new era.
Chelsea now have to do the same, to do the same with Terry and some of the others.
John Terry has become a legend at Stamford Bridge with the 35-year-old winning four league titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two Community Shields, an Europa League trophy and the holy grail in Bayern’s back yard – The Champions League. But Lebouf believes the club should be looking at pastures new and let their long standing captain run out his contract at the club.
It is a competition and as a footballer you need to be aware nothing is certain forever.
It’s a cycle — you have your time and then you must move on.
It is for the best, not for you maybe, but certainly the best for the club.
