Maurizio Sarri: I Would Change Chelsea's Contract Policy for Players over 30

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri said he disagrees with the club's policy of only offering one-year contracts to players over the age of 30.

The Italian believes each player should be judged on their own merit when it comes to handing out new deals.

"I haven't a club so my opinion is not important," he said on Monday ahead of his side's Carabao Cup semi-final with Tottenham Hotspur, per the Mirror's James Whaling. "My opinion is it depends on the situation, I think. The situation is not the same for every player over 30 so it's my opinion. If you are able to buy Chelsea we can discuss [changing it]."

According to Whaling, 31-year-old Cesc Fabregas is on the verge of leaving the club for Monaco and is in the final six months of his deal at Stamford Bridge.

Per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella, Sarri feels the Spaniard has little choice but to leave because of the Blues' policy:

Meanwhile, David Luiz—who has started all but one of the Blues' 21 Premier League games this season—will also see his current terms expire in the summer.

He too is 31, and if he's hoping for more than a one-year extension he may also have to consider his options.

Players inevitably suffer a decline when they hit 30, but how quickly that happens varies.

Wayne Rooney's form rapidly dropped off at Manchester United around the time he turned 30, while other players remain useful contributors at the top level for years after hitting that milestone.

Chelsea themselves have seen as much. Club legends Frank Lampard and John Terry didn't leave Chelsea until they were each 36, and while neither was the force they once were by the time of their exits, they had remained important players at Stamford Bridge in their later years.

The Blues' blanket policy doesn't allow the flexibility needed to assess players individually, and as a result they could be set to lose one or more important players in the coming months.