Petit: Chelsea Can Compete For the Title, but They Are Conceding Far Too Many Goals

Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit has backed Chelsea to compete for the Premier League while warning that their defending must improve dramatically.

The former Arsenal and Chelsea star has branded their deadline-day pursuit of Lamine Camara a mess, backed Alex Scott as a smart target to replace Enzo Fernandez , and questioned whether Wesley Fofana can rediscover his confidence.

Petit has also given his verdict on links to Alessandro Bastoni , delivered his predictions for the cup and league games with Leeds and Hull , and explained why victories are the cement Xabi Alonso needs.

Title Contention

Will Chelsea Be in Contention This Year?

I think Chelsea can compete for the Premier League title this season because they are not playing any European games, but they are missing players in some key positions, especially in midfield. They will score a lot of goals. We have seen how quickly they can score in games. But they need to improve as a team, especially when it comes to finding their balance and playing better tactically and with communication at the back.

Chelsea are conceding too many goals, and they have to do something about that this season. The pressure is on Xabi Alonso to prove himself after what happened at Real Madrid , and I think the vast majority of Chelsea 's players have something to prove to themselves, to the fans and to the club for what happened last season too. But for many reasons, I still think Chelsea will compete this season. Are they going to be the toughest opponents for Arsenal ? I think that will still be Manchester City , but it will be Arsenal , Chelsea and Manchester City taking three of the top four places.

Deadline Day

Was the Late Lamine Camara Deal Embarrassing?

Chelsea 's deadline day was like playing snooker with three hands. Monaco had no desire to sell Lamine Camara to anyone because they wanted to sell Folarin Balogun , but at the end of deadline day, in the last couple of hours, Balogun changed his mind. He didn't want to join Everton . Both clubs, Everton and Monaco , were happy, but he didn't want to do the deal.

So Monaco 's priority was always to sell Balogun and keep Camara , but when Balogun refused to join Everton, they called Chelsea back but there was not enough time, and all of a sudden both players stayed at Monaco, which is not good. Monaco needed to sell a player to get the money to find their financial balance. Both Chelsea and Monaco are responsible for what happened. Chelsea knew that Enzo Fernandez didn't want to stay at the club. It was no secret. They had known that for eight months. Why did they wait until the final hours of the transfer window to do a deal to sign a proper midfield player? I think Chelsea and Monaco share the responsibility for what happened.

Can Another Club Sign Balogun in January?

Can another club come in for Folarin Balogun to sign him in January? I think he has a desire to leave Monaco . That desire was strong. He said so to Thiago Scuro , the technical director at Monaco , and he will be very disappointed that he ended up staying at the club this summer. We've seen Balogun have some great games against Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, so I have the feeling that he will come to the Premier League . His story is not finished with English football after leaving Arsenal . I think he feels he has something still to prove to himself in the Premier League .

Will he leave Monaco to move to the Premier League in January? I don't know, but sooner or later he will return to England, and I wish to see him come back to show his talent in the Premier League .

Midfield and Defence

Is Alex Scott the Smart Move to Replace Enzo Fernandez?

I really like Alex Scott as a player. He has got so much quality, personality and character. I see him as a leader in how he plays. He has vision, technical skill and energy. He is quite powerful. He has everything. It doesn't surprise me that top clubs in the Premier League are trying to get him.

Can Chelsea do a deal to sign him in the winter transfer market to replace Enzo Fernandez ? That will depend on Bournemouth 's situation, but I'm pretty sure if they can find a way to do a deal in January, they will do that, definitely, because Chelsea are missing midfield players. It might not be Camara . There are other midfielders who could be on the market in January too. Chelsea wanted to sign Manu Kone first before Camara so he could be their priority, but it could all change. It will depend on who is actually available in January, and I'm not a big fan of the January transfer window. It's not a window to make huge signings, and it's quite difficult to get your perfect choice.

Is Wesley Fofana the Weak Link at the Back?

Wesley Fofana has lost his confidence for many reasons: he has had so many injuries, and the fact that so many central defenders have been struggling at Chelsea . I can't remember how many central defenders Chelsea has bought for the last couple of years, but they could have played a full team of them in the Premier League if they'd have wanted to. Fofana has also lost his place in the France national team. In the space of one year, he has seen so many other central defenders performing well for their clubs and taking that next step to knock on the door of the national team. Look at Maxence Lacroix .

Fofana must, first of all, stay available; he must regain his form, and he needs to be competitive to play a lot of games, show his potential and prove he has that mental strength. If he can rediscover his confidence, he can be a Chelsea player. Definitely.

Should They Target Alessandro Bastoni?

Chelsea have signed so many central defenders. Is Alessandro Bastoni going to be the answer? The Italian league is very tactical, but it's not the same competition that it used to be 20 years ago, and you look at the national team, and I'm not too impressed with the defenders who play for Italy . Italian players need to improve their standards before we start talking about them improving teams. It is not really a surprise that the national team has not reached the World Cup for the last three times when you look at their players.

They are struggling in many areas, but I came from an era where Italian defenders were among the best in the world, but that's not the case anymore in 2026, as far as I'm concerned. My advice to Italian players like Alessandro Bastoni is to raise your own level first.

Cup and League Games

What's Your Prediction For Chelsea vs Leeds?

Chelsea vs Leeds is the kind of game that will please Xabi Alonso this season without European football because they will be able to play 100% in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup . It's important to keep your squad happy so he can rotate his side, and guys like Estevao and other young players can come in and show their talent. But Estevao is not a new guy anymore. He needs to reach that next level. He has to understand that the period of acclimatisation is over. He needs to prove his value to the team now, and it won't be easy against Leeds , but I think Chelsea will win it. They have no other option.

Chelsea have no European football, and they need to play more games to keep their players happy outside of the Premier League , and last season was very poor, very disappointing. They need to play in these competitions, and they need to win. Chelsea will beat Leeds because they have to.

What's Your Prediction For Chelsea vs Hull?

I don't think Hull City will be this season's Sunderland , sorry. This is the beginning of the season after a World Cup, so most of the teams are struggling to find themselves, and that takes time. You can understand why average teams can get points in these moments against the top teams, but I think that will change against Chelsea . I think they will win against Hull , and it could be a big win.

Can Alonso Deliver a Statement Performance?

It's a new era for Chelsea and a new club for Xabi Alonso, and everyone needs to prove themselves, so they need victories because victories are the cement that brings a dressing room together in the spirit and mentality of a team. They make you stronger. They give you a foundation. It's really important for a new manager like Alonso to keep winning, and this could be a big opportunity for Chelsea to win.

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