Things have started positively for Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, but Matt Le Tissier has tipped the Italian tactician to be busy in the January transfer window.
The Blues will look to make it six wins in six to start the Premier League campaign when they take on rivals West Ham United on Sunday.
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Despite changing the style of play and approach of the team compared to predecessor Antonio Conte, Sarri has seen impressive early results as it arguably would have been expected to take a little time to successfully implement his more expansive and attacking ideas.
Nevertheless, it is seemingly working early on and many of the players that he inherited, coupled with the signings of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Kepa Arrizabalaga, have led to a successful balance being struck.
However, according to Le Tissier, with defensive stalwart Gary Cahill struggling to make his mark and earn any playing time, it could lead to some movement in January at Stamford Bridge.
“If he wants to go in January, I think he’s at an age now where the manager should just go ‘do you know what? I think you’re absolutely right’,” he is quoted as saying by The Express. “They have to adapt with the players they’ve got there and if he has to go out and do a little bit of business in January, then so be it.
“They’ve got the funds to do that, so as long as he manages the situation finely then I don’t think it’s a problem in the dressing room.”
The fact is that Cahill hasn’t managed to feature for a single minute so far this season, as he was even an unused substitute in the win over PAOK in midweek in the Europa League.
With that in mind, the 32-year-old will surely be desperate to move on and play regularly at this stage of his career, even if he has been a valuable stalwart for Chelsea since he arrived at the club.
If Sarri green lights an exit, then perhaps it could lead to additional cover being brought in for his first choice pairing of David Luiz and Antonio Rudiger, and so Chelsea could certainly be active in the New Year.