
Chelsea
head coach Maurizio Sarri wants to sign a replacement for Cesc Fabregas
after watching his side beat Newcastle 2-1 on Saturday.
Fabregas completed his permanent move to Monaco on Friday and Sarri's need
was emphasised after he watched Jorginho struggle to dictate play against
Newcastle.
After the match, Sarri revealed he wants a replacement but is uncertain if,
or when, a new recruit will arrive.
"Today Jorginho was in trouble and on the bench there wasn't a player for
that position so I need a player for that position."
When asked if Chelsea will sign a replacement for Fabregas, he said: "I have
no idea.
"The club knows very well my opinion. I need a player there so it depends on
the club's decision.
"I cannot do any more."
Sarri was also quizzed on the future of Willian, who has been linked with a
January move to Barcelona.
The 30-year-old showed his value to Chelsea by scoring his side's winner
against Newcastle to give Blues a six-point cushion over fifth-placed
Arsenal in the race for Champions League qualification.
Sarri on Friday insisted it was "impossible" to lose Willian, who has 18
months remaining on his current contract at Stamford Bridge, and he repeated
his view on Saturday.
"You know very well that Willian is a very important player," he said. "In
my opinion, Willian has to stay with us because for us he is really a very
important player, like Pedro.
"[Callum] Hudson-Odoi is becoming for us a very important player. With Eden
as a striker we need wingers so we need Pedro and Hudson-Odoi. And Willian,
of course. For us, in this moment, he is a fundamental player."
When asked about Willian's contract, he added: "Maybe he has 12 years of
contract, I don't know the detail. You are trying to let me speak about
something I don't know."
Despite his side's victory, Sarri again bemoaned his side's mentality - a
frequent complaint this season - for apparently being complacent after
Pedro's opener.
Chelsea took the lead after nine minutes, through Pedro, but Newcastle
responded and deservedly equalised five minutes before half-time through
Ciaran Clark before Willian's second-half winner.
"After the goal, I think we thought 'now it's easy', but it wasn't," he
said.
"We slept for 20, 25 minutes, so at the end of the first half we were in
trouble. We need to improve in the mental reaction because after the first
goal something happened.
"We stopped playing for 20 minutes. But it was really very important to gain
points today. That was enough."