Florent Malouda has urged his former club Chelsea to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi when the transfer window reopens in January.
Guehi looked set to join Liverpool on deadline day in the summer window after a £35m deal was agreed – but it fell through after Palace were unable to find a replacement for the England international centre-back.
Along with Liverpool, Chelsea were also rumoured to be interested in signing Guehi in the summer and Malouda feels he’d be a ‘great addition’ for Enzo Maresca’s side.
Guehi is likely to be a man in demand in January having entered the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.
‘Marc Guehi would be a great addition for Chelsea,’ Malouda told Boyle Sports, who provide the latest Champions League betting.
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‘I don’t know what the conditions would be, but I think it’s also about how badly he wants to come to Chelsea.
‘That’s the way you have to look at it, because he’s a talented player. He showed with Palace that he’s able to deliver and perform.
‘Now it’s more about how you approach a player like this and have a real plan for him to make an impact in your first team.
‘I think the goal would be to increase the competition in the defence and to bring in a player who plays for the national team.
‘A lot of things could happen in January based on that. For example, if Chelsea qualify for the Champions League knockout stage, that’s also something that could attract players.
‘So I think he could be a good pick for Chelsea because he would have no problem settling in.’
‘Chelsea should not axe Raheem Sterling’
Meanwhile, Malouda has also advised Chelsea to reintroduce ‘bomb squad’ member Raheem Sterling.
Sterling has reportedly been told to eat alone and use seperate toilets after Chelsea’s failure to sell him in the summer transfer window.
‘I don’t like the topic of his wages or the money involved,’ Malouda added. ‘He earned his contract and everybody was fine with it. Now it’s more about how, as a club, you consider your players and how you bring them back to full confidence.
‘I’m sure Raheem Sterling, in full confidence, without injury problems, terminating his contract wouldn’t be an option.
‘The perspective must change. That comes with conversations, honest conversations, because you need players like him, but at his best level. While he’s still a Chelsea player, we should do everything as a club for him to feel at home.
‘I think that’s the best way to get the best out of a player like Sterling.’