"The goal is not to be champions of England" – Frank Leboeuf makes bold claim about Chelsea owners; issues warning over Cole Palmer transfer

Ex-Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has hit out at Blues owners, insisting they are more interested in spinning a profit than winning a trophy.

Chelsea, who have dished out over £1.2 billion since the summer of 2022, are sixth in the 2024-25 Premier League standings. The UEFA Conference League semi-finalists are currently on 57 points from 33 league outings, two points off fifth place.

During a recent chat with Metro, Leboeuf was asked to offer his thoughts on Chelsea's lack of silverware in the past few seasons. He responded:

"You want to know where the club stands, but at present their only target is to make money out of the players they have bought. Sure, they give big, long contracts for young players but if they can make a profit, then they will sell them. That's the goal."

Claiming even Cole Palmer could be sold in the future, Leboeuf added:

"Cole Palmer, who was bought for £40 million, could be sold for £120 million or £130 million in the summer if they got an offer. I think they will take the money and buy two younger players. The goal is not to be champions of England, the goal is not to be in the Champions League, it's to make money out of the players that they've bought."

Leboeuf, who represented Chelsea 204 times as a player, concluded:

"If they had the goal of winning trophies, they would have kept Connor Gallagher or given experienced players like N'Golo Kante and Thiago Silva another year. Ben Chilwell has a bit of experience, but even he was got rid of."

Palmer, 22, has made 84 appearances across competitions for Chelsea since leaving Manchester City in 2023. The left-footed star has recorded 39 goals and 24 assists for the west London outfit so far.

Chelsea attacker urged to leave club

Speaking to Metro, former France international Frank Leboeuf suggested that Christopher Nkunku should secure a switch elsewhere this summer. He said:

"I think they need to cut their losses and go their separate ways. It's best for the club but also the future of the player. Careers are pretty short so you have to react quickly if it doesn't work."

So far this campaign, Nkunku has found the back of the net 14 times and laid out five assists in 42 overall outings, including 22 starts, for his side.

The 27-year-old Frenchman has a deal until June 2029 at the Blues.