Chelsea's Juan Cuadrado pushed for Juventus move in another case of player power
Juan Cuadrado was once again loaned out this summer, much to the disappointment of Chelsea fans, but the Colombian pressed for the move himself.
Chelsea once again made a number of questionable transfer moves over the summer. The club panicked on Transfer Deadline Day and came away with two distinctly average defenders. Meanwhile, in one of the disappointing loan deals, they packed Juan Cuadrado off to Juventus. However, the Colombian has confirmed that he pushed for the move.
Speaking to JTV, Cuadrado revealed that he had a significant hand in making his Juventus return materialise.
I did everything to come back, and thanks to God I’m here. I’m very happy. – via Metro
Cuadrado impressed throughout Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States. The winger looked reborn and Blues fans were getting exciting about seeing him finally show his worth at Stamford Bridge.
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However, the last day of the transfer window saw Cuadrado move back to Italy in a bizarre three-year loan deal. The terms of the agreement mean that the Colombian will be a Juventus player by the time it expires.
This development is a disappointing one, but one that Chelsea supporters can understand. Cuadrado has endured a torrid Stamford Bridge career since his arrival two and a half years ago. The winger flopped during his first six months with the club and was duly loaned to Juventus in the summer of 2015.
He experienced a resurgence back in Serie A, where a familiarity with the style of play allowed him to express himself.
While many would have hoped for Cuadrado to transfer that form over to England, he evidently felt there was no point trying again.
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Critics will say that this could be seen as another case of player-power running wild. Cuadrado looked set to be a part of Antonio Conte’s plans for this season, but he preferred to depart West London.
An unhappy player can often act as a virus, negatively affecting those around him. Hence, Chelsea facilitated his desire and let him go. Cuadrado got what he wanted.
Having said that, while he appeared to figure in Conte’s thoughts, he was not going to be an integral player. With that in mind, the boss realised that it would be better to grant his wish.
Usually, at this point you would talk about hoping that Cuadrado has a productive season on loan. Given that he will not be returning to play for Chelsea, there is no reason to do so from a club perspective.