Gary Neville tears into Chelsea’s ‘naive’ new American owner

Gary Neville has accused Todd Boehly of signing players without thought and likened his actions to that of the Glazers and Ed Woodward. 

The Blues have spent £92.96million so far this summer – buying the likes of Raheem Sterling from Manchester City, Gabriel ‘Gaga’ Slonina from MLS club Chicago Fire, Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli. 

The Premier League giants have also joined the transfer race to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong and are closing in on Brighton & Hove Albion left-back Marc Cucurella.

When asked what he thought about Chelsea’s transfer business this summer, Neville said it was as if Boehly thought he was playing Football Manager.   

Speaking on The Overlap, Neville said: ‘The American guy [Todd] Boehly, looks like he wants to play football manager. 

He went on to add: ‘There’s a bit of something that in him. He’s wandering around a little bit and they’re a bit panicky now.

‘You’re wondering ‘oh they’re coming in for [Frenkie] de Jong this morning’ because he feels like he has to do something, that pressure is on him.

Boehly has been spending big in the summer transfer window ahead of the next season

He signed Raheem Sterling (above) from Manchester City on a five-year deal worth more than £300,000-a-week

‘He wouldn’t have had that pressure if he’d have kept the people that have been there before and just let them operate for a year or two, but it’ll be an interesting season for Chelsea. Obviously, they’ve lost a few defenders as well. They might even lose more to Barcelona.’

Neville also accused Boehly and his Chelsea side of signing players without thought. Neville believes they acquired the services of the new players because they felt they needed to. 

The Sky Sports pundit said: ‘They’re [Chelsea] almost like bouncing around because it feels like he [Todd Boehly] has to do something.

‘I’m hearing his name too much. It feels like, it’s not to be disrespectful, you know he’s a prominent guy, he’s just bought the club and everything. 

Chelsea have also entered the transfer race to sign Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong

Neville has likened Boehly’s actions to that of the Glazers (Joel Glazer and Avram Glazer pictured above) and Ed Woodward

‘He’s fronted a fund that’s paid two and a half billion quid, but to get rid of all that football operation that’s been unbelievable for that many years and come in and do it yourself, it does feel like Ed Woodward that to me. We’ll see it develop.’

Neville went on to say that Boehly had been operating like the Glazers and Ed Woodward – who are both hated by the Manchester United faithful.  

He said: ‘I mean, look, let’s be clear, firstly – they’re [Chelsea] reacting to what’s available and what other clubs are doing.

‘Secondly, you hear his [Todd Boehly] name too much and he’s too prominent. You look at what Manchester City and Liverpool are doing, [Txiki] Begiristain at City is their sporting director. 

The Glazers are hated by the Manchester United faithful – with fans calling for them to leave

‘Some people might not even know that. Some people do know that, but some people never even hear him, never even see him but they get their business done quickly and efficiently.

‘When clubs are working well, you don’t hear who’s signing the players, you just sign them. Chelsea have got that sort of, Manchester United under The Glazers, Ed Woodward, ‘I’m taking over, I’m the man now’, ‘I’m going to go out and basically buy the players’ and then they’re linked with every player that Barcelona want, every player that City want, every player that United want.’