Maurizio Sarri Suggests Danny Drinkwater Has No Future at Chelsea

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has said he told Danny Drinkwater in August that the midfielder wasn't suited to his style of play and suggested he's free to leave the club.

Drinkwater has failed to make a competitive appearance since Sarri took over in July. The Italian told reporters on Wednesday that it was the player's decision to remain at Stamford Bridge knowing his chances would be limited, via Hayters TV:

Sarri said:

“As he knows very well, he has never played because, in my opinion, he is not suitable to my system, to my way of playing. I told him everything in August. He appreciated it but he decided to remain. And so he knew very well the situation.

“Maybe I am wrong, but it’s my opinion. I try [to be honest with the players]. Of course, sometimes, you have to say something different. But in 99% of cases, I try to be honest. I spoke with him in August, when the market was still open, and said he should look for something different because he wouldn’t play. And I told him the reasons, my reasons.”

Drinkwater, 29, joined the Blues from Leicester City for £35 million in the summer of 2017, but he's been an outcast in west London and accumulated only 12 starts in two seasons. His only appearance under Sarri was a 30-minute cameo in their 2-0 FA Community Shield defeat to Manchester City.

The player was recently charged with drink-driving after crashing his Range Rover in Mere, Cheshire, while with two female passengers, per BBC News.

While Sarri acknowledged he has little or no use of the player, the tactician offered some compliments, per Goal's Nizaar Kinsella:

The England international did not travel with Chelsea's squad for Thursday's UEFA Europa League quarter-final against Slavia Prague. The Blues hope to help what could be their best route into next season's UEFA Champions League and are in the Czech capital for the first leg.

Drinkwater was one of Leicester's main instruments during their historic Premier League title triumph in 2016, but his stock has plummeted in west London.

It could prove an issue that he has a little more than three years remaining on his contract if Chelsea are eager to sell the player, however. Matt Law of the Telegraph wrote in October that the player was in no hurry to take a cut from the £100,000-a-week wages he earns at Stamford Bridge.

As for any correspondence with Drinkwater regarding his arrest, Sarri said there has been none, per journalist Simon Johnson:

The manager already has a multitude of midfield options at his disposal and seems unlikely to start offering Drinkwater minutes now, and a parting of ways appears likely if Sarri remains at the club.

There's no indication as to where Drinkwater is right now in terms of quality and fitness, but he could still make for a valuable signing this summer if able to regain something like his late form at Leicester.