{"id":14894,"date":"2026-07-07T00:57:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T00:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=14894"},"modified":"2026-07-07T00:57:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T00:57:25","slug":"joe-cole-urges-xabi-alonso-to-sign-john-stones-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=14894","title":{"rendered":"Joe Cole urges Xabi Alonso to sign John Stones this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Joe Cole has urged Chelsea to dip into the free agent market and sign Robert Lewandowski and John Stones this summer.<\/p>\n

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The Blues face a critical transfer window, with reinforcements required in a number of key areas of the squad, whilst a number of players need to be moved on.<\/p>\n

New boss Xabi Alonso will reportedly have a say in signings, and it\u2019ll be interesting to see which players he wants to bring in, and who he wants to move on.<\/p>\n

Joe Cole urges Chelsea to sign John Stones and Robert Lewandowski<\/h2>\n

Chelsea are thought to be in the market for a centre back, whilst it\u2019s believed they want to add another midfielder and attacker to their ranks.<\/p>\n

The Blues have been heavily criticised for their youth focused recruitment model, but co-owner Behdad Eghbali has said the model will be tweaked this summer.\u00c2 <\/p>\n

A lack of European football could make it difficult to attract the calibre of player required to improve the squad, and Cole has urged the Blues to explore the free agent market.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if you\u2019re just selling players, there\u2019s ones that are not going to get near it,\u201d he told Football London.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not for me to say, that\u2019s for them to work out and then and then you bring in your John Stones and Robert Lewandowski and players on a free transfer who don\u2019t need to play every minute of every game, but they understand winning, they understand culture and they can still help out in the pitch and do bits. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd them players that need that, they\u2019ve got it within the group, it can\u2019t be from coaches, all the time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll the great teams are coached from within their own dressing room and its knowledge and wisdom passed down over the years. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLike, it just baffles me how people just don\u2019t understand that. But hopefully, they\u2019ve read the room and that\u2019s the way they go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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In other news\u2026<\/h2>\n

Chelsea have reportedly set their asking price at \u00c2\u00a3120m for Enzo Fernandez, with Real Madrid believed to be keen on the 25-year-old.<\/p>\n

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Fernandez has made it clear he wants to leave Chelsea, and it\u2019ll be interesting what offers, if any come in for the World Cup winner.<\/p>\n

Check out the\u00c2 <\/span><\/em>latest edition\u00c2 <\/span>of Simon Phillips\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 SPTC podcast here:<\/em><\/p>\n