Ian Wright criticises Chelsea for selling 'last piece of the jigsaw' Nemanja Matic to Manchester United
'Right now Chelsea are in a worse position than last year,' the Arsenal legend claims
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright believes Chelsea may have handed Manchester United “the last part of the jigsaw” in the form of £40m midfielder Nemanja Matic.
The Premier League champions have signed Tiemoue Bakayoko, Alvaro Morata and Antonio Rudiger for in excess of £120m as well as capturing goalkeeper Willy Caballero on a free, but Wright believes they have got weaker over the summer.
"Right now Chelsea are in a worse position than last year," Wright told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.
Wright, who now works as a TV and radio pundit, suggested that Matic’s Premier League experience will only serve to benefit United who are expected to challenge Chelsea more closely for the title this season.
The Serbian joined for £40m last month, adding steel to midfield which should allow record signing Paul Pogba a more prominent attacking role.
Meanwhile, Wright contends that Chelsea’s midfield starts the season with a hint of the unknown in the shape of a midfielder who was playing in Ligue 1 last season.
"They have signed Bakayoko from Monaco to replace Matic, but he has to come in and hit the ground running because Chelsea want to go far in the Champions League and defend the Premier League trophy," Wright added.
"They are getting rid of players who are experienced and from who you know exactly what you're going to get."
Wright also cast doubt on the potential of Chelsea’s new Spanish striker Alvaro Morata who has come in to replace the wantaway Diego Costa.
"With Costa not involved you have taken away 20 goals and someone has to replicate that," Wright, who scored 185 goals for Arsenal
"I'm not saying Morata won't do that, but when you look at Chelsea as a whole, they have a good team but are lacking depth."
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