Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has urged new manager Xabi Alonso to sign England international John Stones on a free transfer this summer. The former Chelsea striker believes the 32-year-old defender, who left Manchester City after a decade of trophy-laden success, would bring invaluable experience to a youthful Chelsea squad.
Alonso's appointment and transfer strategy
Xabi Alonso was unveiled as Chelsea's permanent manager on Monday, replacing Liam Rosenior, who lasted just over four months in the role. Chelsea finished mid-table last season after a chaotic campaign that saw Enzo Maresca depart in January. Despite the club's struggles and lack of European football, Alonso, one of Europe's most highly rated young coaches, was enticed to Stamford Bridge.
In a shift in strategy, Alonso has been given the title of manager and is expected to wield greater influence in identifying summer targets. He was the driving force behind Chelsea's move to sign Granit Xhaka earlier this month, aiming to add experience to a squad that has relied heavily on young talent.
Hasselbaink's advice on John Stones
Speaking to WhoScored, Hasselbaink said: 'I would love to see him go and get John Stones, who is a free agent. Everybody will say, “Oh, but he’s injured a lot.” I think this year he will be a very good buy for Chelsea because Chelsea doesn’t play in the Champions League or in Europe, so it’s from Saturday to Saturday. He will have more rest, and he brings a lot of experience as well. So he can at least play 30 matches.'
Stones, a key part of England's World Cup squad, is without a club after leaving Manchester City. His experience and defensive prowess could be crucial for a Chelsea side rebuilding under Alonso.
Liam Delap's future
Hasselbaink also commented on young striker Liam Delap, who has struggled since joining from Ipswich last summer. Delap suffered a serious hamstring injury early in his Chelsea career and failed to find form after recovery. 'He needs football. He cannot have another season like he had last season at Chelsea. And if that means he needs to go out on loan or whatsoever, he needs to do that because he is too young to sit on the bench,' Hasselbaink said.
'He needs to kickstart his career again, score goals, and get that feeling again because every time he played for Chelsea, it felt a little bit like he was up against it. Even though I think that he’s a very good player, and even though I think he can become a top-four club kind of striker, he needs games.'
Hasselbaink added that Chelsea's need for immediate results prevented Delap from getting a run of games, a common problem at big clubs. He suggested a loan move would allow Delap to play 30-odd matches and rebuild his career.
