Chelsea icon Gianfranco Zola has voiced his opinion that the club’s decision to sell three key players was a major factor in their early-season struggles last year.

Chelsea ultimately finished sixth in the Premier League, showing improvement in the latter part of the campaign.

Zola pointed to the sales of Kai Havertz to Arsenal, Mateo Kovacic to Manchester City, and Jorginho to Arsenal in January 2023 as significant setbacks.

He emphasized that these players were integral to the team’s core and leadership.

“Chelsea had a difficult start to the season, mainly because they underwent significant changes. They introduced many young players while losing experienced ones like Jorginho, Havertz, and Kovacic.

These players were the heart and soul of the team, and their absence was deeply felt,” Zola shared with Ladbrokes.

Despite the challenging transition, Zola acknowledged that Pochettino eventually managed to get the team back on track. However, he expressed disappointment over the changes and Pochettino’s subsequent departure.

Zola, who played over 300 games for Chelsea between 1996 and 2003, remains a passionate supporter of the club and its direction.