Enzo Fernandez & Moises Caicedo are 'not leaders' & 'don't deserve' to play for Chelsea, claims ex-Blues hero

The fallout from Chelsea's 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Brighton has reached fever pitch, with former Blues hero Leboeuf identifying the midfield as a major area of concern. Despite a combined transfer outlay of £223 million, Fernandez and Caicedo were unable to seize control of the game at the Amex Stadium as the visitors slumped to a historic defeat.

Leboeuf did not mince his words when discussing the two stars, suggesting that their price tags have not translated into the leadership required at Stamford Bridge. Speaking to ESPN FC, the World Cup winner expressed his frustration at the current state of the squad, which has now suffered five consecutive Premier League defeats without scoring a goal for the first time in over a century.

"We have been players and we can see, my former teammate and compatriot Marcel Desailly two days ago said what we keep on saying what we have been saying," Leboeuf said. "We do not have leaders in that team. We need a goalkeeper as a leader, we need a centre-half, we need a midfielder."

The former Blues centre-back compared the current crops of stars to the legendary figures he shared a dressing room with during his successful stint at Stamford Bridge. He believes the current duo do not understand the weight of the shirt or the demands of leading a club of Chelsea's stature through difficult periods.

He added: "Caicedo and Ezno Fernandez are not leaders. I’m sorry, I’ve seen leaders. I’ve played with Dennis Wise, I’ve played with Craig Burley, I’ve played with Roberto Di Matteo in the middle of the park. They were leaders. I don’t even talk about defenders like Marcel Desailly, Steve Clarke and up front with Vialli, Gullit, Zola, those players who were successful at my time and I don’t even talk about after what we saw [under Roman Abramovich]. But now enough is enough those players don’t deserve to play for Chelsea right now. They’re not good enough."

While manager Liam Rosenior is under intense pressure, Leboeuf believes the root of the problem lies with the board and their focus on signing young prospects over established veterans. The reliance on potential rather than proven experience has left the west London side looking lost during difficult periods of the campaign, leaving them seven points adrift of the Premier League's top five with four games left.

Leboeuf urged the decision-makers to rethink their recruitment strategy if the club is to return to the pinnacle of European football. "What can be changed now I don’t know. But next year, please to the board buy leaders. Otherwise Chelsea will never be the Chelsea we have known," he said.

While fans are calling for Rosenior’s sacking after a fifth consecutive league defeat without scoring, Leboeuf believes a managerial change right now would be futile. With an FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United on the horizon, he suggests the board should wait to make a decision.

"You have to wait to the Leeds game. If Rosenior goes I don’t think it will change the mindset for me," Leboeuf concluded. "You have to wait for the end of the season and rethink your future and how you want to end up being the Chelsea we all want to see back. Changing Rosenior for anyone else two months before the end of the season I don’t know if it will mean anything for me."

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