The legendary Chelsea captain John Terry has warned that the blues could be away from a challenge for the Premier League title for up to five years.
Chelsea won the Premier League for the last time in 2017, with Terry de Trophy lifting at the end of his last season in the club.
Terry had led the blues to five league titles during the era of Roman Abramovich, which ended in 2022 with the sale to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Chelsea finished 12th and sixth in the first two seasons under the new property, with the club investing heavily in young players.
Although Chelsea is well placed to get a return to the Champions League, with the side of Enzo Maresca in fourth place in the table, they are currently 21 points behind the League leaders Liverpool.
Talking to the sun, Terry revealed that he believes that Chelsea could still be three to five years away from setting up a challenge for the Premier League title, but claimed that the club is going in the right direction.
'In terms of where we were 20 years ago, we are not there. But we are in a transitional period, “Terry said.
'As ex-players and fans we have to be very patient with that. And I say that with a 'very' before because I think we are in my opinion three to five years free to compete for the Premier League.
“But it would always be a process. If you sign young players – and we lost a little experience with Thiago Silva and those guys last year – there would be a process.
'Even at the start of the season when things went well, I only expected a small fall in the players because of that lack of experience and the playing time.
“So I feel comfortable with the direction we are going.”
Terry claimed that the blues, however, should continue to show progress by closing the gap to Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City.
Chelsea had started the season impressively under Maresca to lead the hope for a title offer in December.
However, the Italian had played a title interview, but claimed that Chelsea would be the teams that could dominate English football in the next five to 10 years.
Chelsea has since fell from the pace in the Premier League and are now locked up in Battle for Champions League qualification.
The blues have placed a serious emphasis in recent transfer toys on the signing of young players with high ceilings that can grow into stars in the club, rather than investing in ready-made world reformers
Almost £ 1.5 billion on their play team since the takeover in May 2022.
Chelsea could still win silverware for the first time since 2021 this season.
The side of Maresca is on to the quarterfinals of the Conference League, where they are dealing with the Polish side Legia Warsaw.
Comments