Chelsea legend backs pursuit of €100m attacking target

John Terry has given his backing to Chelsea’s pursuit of Jadon Sancho, denying that the Blues need more experienced players.

Terry’s former teammate Frank Lampard has overseen a year of progress at Stamford Bridge having put faith in youngsters like Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Reece James, with the club currently sat fourth in the Premier League.

Chelsea are free to make transfers again in the summer after not bringing any new bodies in during January, despite their transfer ban being lifted.

One name to be heavily linked is Jadon Sancho, who seems intent on a return to the Premier League after flourishing in Germany across three seasons with Borussia Dortmund.

A range of suitors are queuing up for the England winger, with Manchester United confident that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s own track record of working with youngsters may persuade him to head to Old Trafford.

United are not the only side in need of reinforcements out wide, though, with Chelsea having struggled to replace the goal output of Eden Hazard since his summer departure.

Christian Pulisic and Willian have only five Premier League goals each this season, with the latter joined by Pedro in facing an uncertain future due to his contract expiring in June.

Sancho could be added to replenish their options on the wings, and a replication of his record of 16 goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season certainly would not go amiss at Stamford Bridge.

And former Blues captain Terry believes adding Sancho to their exciting crop of young talent would be a shrewd move by the club.

“I think the young lads have shown their potential,” he told Frank Khalid on YouTube.

“We spoke at the start of the season about the likes of Tammy and Mason coming into the squad and they’ve shown that they’re capable of playing.

“I think Sancho is one of the best young players in the world at the moment, so he’d be a great addition to Chelsea’s squad.
“It would make us better as well but the ones that have come through, the Billy Gilmours, Tammy, Mason, Reece, it’s endless, isn’t it? There have been so many positives this season.

“So I think every Chelsea fan since I came through the ranks, that’s all Chelsea fans wanted to see: the youth team players and the younger generation coming through and making their first-team debuts. We’ve seen that in abundance this year.”

Terry – now working as a coach himself as Dean Smith’s assistant at Aston Villa, the club with whom he finished his career after nearly two decades with Chelsea – also believes that his old teammate Lampard is proving himself to be the right man for the Stamford Bridge hot seat.

“It’s been incredible because we said there was no one better, to give Lamps the job.

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“With Jody Morris as well, he has someone who knows the younger players and works with them at the youth team and Under-18 level as well.

“I think it’s been a good mix. I think the expectation has been excellent because the group that they’ve had this year have done really, really well.”