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29 January 2019

Sarri 'Waiting' On New Midfielder  (Sky Sports)

Maurizio SarriChelsea head coach Maurizio Sarri says he is "waiting" for the club to sign a new midfielder.

Chelsea had been looking at players to replace Cesc Fabregas, who moved to Monaco earlier this month.

Leandro Paredes, who was a reported Chelsea target earlier in the window, has signed for Paris Saint-Germain from Zenit Saint Petersburg for £35m.

Ethan Ampadu and Mateo Kovacic deputised for Jorginho who was rested for the majority of Chelsea's FA Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Sarri said: "I thought it was important for us to have two players [arrive]. One has arrived and I am waiting for the other.

"If he arrives I will be very happy, if not I will have to work with these players which isn't a problem.

"[Ethan] Ampadu didn't play very well in that position but he is very young and it's a new position. It's not easy to play there.

"In the second half we tried Mateo [Kovacic]. He is able to move the ball very fast and very clean but we need to see if he can play there in a defensive match."

Chelsea have seven midfielders available to them with N'Golo Kante, Kovacic, Jorginho, Ruben-Loftus Cheek, Ampadu, Ross Barkley and also Danny Drinkwater able to play in the three positions in midfield. But Sarri doesn't believe the latter fits into his system.

He added: "He [Drinkwater] is with us, I told you my opinion, he is a very good player but more suitable to playing with two midfielders. He is a very good player in a 4-4-2.

"Not at the moment [he won't play], then I have to wait until the end of the month."



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