Sarri hoping for two new signings, as he looks to give Hudson-Odoi, Ampadu bigger roles

Maurizio Sarri is not a huge fan of any transfer shenanigans, but he’s made it quite clear that he’d like Chelsea to sign him a couple players this January.

“As I said before, the club knows my opinion, and in my opinion we need two players.”

The call for two players is actually twice as many as just a few days ago, when he only wanted a potential replacement for Cesc Fàbregas (who at the time had not yet completed his transfer to Monaco) and possibly a new winger, too. But the need for a winger has been reduced with the recent development of (and praise for) Callum Hudson-Odoi. Instead, the second player now is reportedly a new striker (i.e. Higuaín for Morata).

“If you ask me something else then I don’t know what to answer because I am not in charge of the market. The bench is not very short. It has been left short in only one position at the moment because I think that Hudson-Odoi is improving. In one or two months he will be at the same level as the other players. I hope the same for Ampadu.”

Sarri is hoping to use Ampadu to replace Gary Cahill, who’s also expected to leave this month, although if the expected midfielder does not arrive, perhaps the youngster can deputize as well. But this is clearly not the preferred solution.

“In the future maybe [we can try Ampadu there], but we have to work. Playing as a central midfielder in our team is not easy, we need to try and try and try in training with him. The player who plays in that position usually touches the ball about 120-130 times and so I think that we need a specialist there. I think that he is able to do it.”

-Maurizio Sarri; source: Goal

So two new faces and greater roles for the kids. No need to go overboard in the winter transfer window, while ensuring the the “soul of the club” lives on.

“First of all I want good players. But we are lucky because our Academy is very good. It’s important because if you have five or six players from the academy you can have soul, more than when you have 25 foreign players.”

-Maurizio Sarri; source: Chelsea FC

Sounds good.

Now let’s see it in action, too.