Glen Johnson on Aubameyang to Chelsea: “It’s good if you get the Aubameyang that wants to be there”

“It was obviously a heavy defeat and it’s shocked a few people but I think they’re going to have a gameplan under the new owners. I don’t think Tuchel’s seat will be as hot as it used to be. You’d like to think they’d give him a bit of time and start to build the club back up. However, it’s a big club and they should be winning things and challenging, so we’ve got to wait and see how much patience the new owners have got.

“I do believe the game against Leeds was just a blip and I did think that Chelsea looked good in the first two games and that the team has a lot of potential. There’s been a few shock results in the Premier League already. I just think it’s a blip, a little speedbump; a new team and a club that’s transforming.”

“It’s good if you get the Aubameyang that wants to be there. If he wants to be there and he wants to play and represent the club, then yes, it would be a very good signing. If you’re getting the Aubameyang that was in his last six months at Arsenal then it wouldn’t be a good move for Chelsea. If he was to go to Chelsea then he probably would love the challenge and he’s shown in the past that he’s capable of getting a bundle of goals.”

“I’m not sure. He’s still got a bit to prove in my opinion. There’s a big step up from scoring goals in the Championship to scoring goals in the Premier League. There’s also then a step up from scoring goals in the Premier League to being Chelsea’s main man. From the bottom of the Premier League to the top represents a big gap. He’s good in front of goal, he’s technically good but I do think stepping up to Chelsea after one season in the Premier League is a bit too big a step at the moment.”

“He’s shown ability and he looks like he’s got potential but it would be a big step up. You don’t want to hinder his development by not playing him. Chelsea would be clearly buying him for the future, so they could potentially buy him and loan him back.”

“It does possibly make Chelsea’s defence the strongest in the Premier League on paper. You’d have experience and youth as well as three athletes, so you’d struggle to get better than that. Chelsea should have bought Fofana years ago. I’m surprised he’s been at Leicester this long  because a few years ago he was one of the best defenders around and he couldn’t even get in the French team. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. They could have got him for relatively cheap a few years ago but now they’re going to have to pay double now.”

“Pulisic would probably go straight in Manchester United’s starting XI. United have signed so many of these sorts of players and they haven’t worked out. For me, they keep buying in positions that they don’t really need. They just need to get the players they’ve bought already firing. I like Pulisic a lot. He seems like a good lad, he’s got ability, he works hard for the team and I definitely believe he’d improve Manchester United’s team but I believe they’ve got bigger concerns elsewhere.

“Chelsea don’t need to sell or loan players to United do they? If Pulisic is available then he’s going to have a lot of options isn’t he? I don’t believe United would be his first choice. Clubs have to be tactical don’t they? Manchester United aren’t a threat to Chelsea but you don’t want to improve them as one day United are going to bounce back aren’t they?”

“I’m not so sure. I know he gets a lot of criticism but if it’s not working for him at Manchester United then why would it work for him at Chelsea? Chelsea’s a step up. I don’t think that deal would happen at all.

“Chelsea fans would have seen all of his performances for Manchester United so I don’t think they’d be excited about a potential move at all.”

“I’d keep Christian Pulisic, Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja. I’m a fan of Hudson-Odoi because, on his day, he’s fantastic but you don’t see those days often enough. He’s not too young anymore and he should be starting for Chelsea by now. As long as he’s got the desire to play then he can have a great career somewhere else. When he’s on it, he’s brilliant. I just believe that he needs to play every week and get back to his best. He shouldn’t just accept being at Chelsea on a good contract.”

“Obviously Cucurella’s got a big reputation. Chelsea wouldn’t spend that money willy-nilly. He must have shown them something. But I’m a big fan of Chilwell as well to be honest. So I don’t think Cucurella will get the slot given to him; he’ll have to work for his place.

“You do need strong bodies and robust players that can play every week. I’m sure the manager will rest him when he can but ultimately if you’ve got a player that’s never injured - touchwood, I don’t want to give him the kiss of death - instead of someone like Chilwell who’s just bouncing back, then, naturally, you’re going to go for the more robust player.”

“I definitely believe a loan move to a big side in the Premier League or abroad for Trevoh Chalobah will allow him to come back and fight for a starting berth at Chelsea. He’s put in some good performances for Chelsea. He’s not playing week in, week out but if he goes to a big club and potentially plays in the Champions League as well, that’s what the loan system is designed for; you can go away and have a fantastic year and come back and bang the door down. But it’s hard to do that in training sessions. The manager’s obviously got in his head his starting XI and whoever his next five or six players are, and if you’re not involved in that then it’s hard to break through just through training. But if Chalobah goes to a top team and performs in the Champions League then the manager can’t ignore him.”

“Knowing Jürgen Klopp, Núñez will be back in Liverpool’s starting XI once his suspension is over. Obviously his red card against Crystal Palace was a daft mistake, we all agree with that, but I just think that by leaving him out then you make it a bigger issue. Klopp’s a very good man-manager and to be honest I just think he’ll kick Núñez up the arse a bit and say ‘you were stupid, but let’s just forget about it and move on’. If he leaves him out then it just heightens the mistake and just drags it along.

“I think you would expect to see him in the line-up for the Merseyside derby, and that’ll be a sign that we all make mistakes, it is what it is, and we get on with it.

“He’s clearly a fiery character but you don’t want to take that away. You have to have that fire in your belly but you have to control it. If you’re playing against him and this is how he reacts, he’s only going to get it more. All the other defenders are going to do exactly the same. They’re going to try and upset him. And if he does something daft then all of a sudden they’ve won the battle. But as long as he can control it you don’t want to take it away from him.”

“Even though they’re looking great at the moment, I don’t think Arsenal have got the character to go the distance. It is very early at this stage. I don’t think they’ve got those characters within the team to win those dirty games when they’re not playing well and you’re going to have to do that to win the Premier League. So overall, I would still say that Manchester City are favourites.”

“What I love about Jude is that he’s had the balls to Dortmund in the first place, so he’s clearly got the appetite to go wherever he needs to go. He’s not afraid to be abroad, which I admire.

“When you’ve got someone like Real Madrid knocking on your door, it’s hard to ignore. If he had the choice to go to Liverpool or Madrid, he’d probably pick Madrid. It’s a giant club. They’ve won the Champions League, they’re going to go deep in every competition. You can’t ever say it’s going to be a bad move but we all want to see him in the Premier League. We all know La Liga isn’t as strong as the Premier League. But it’s Real Madrid, and he’ll be going there because he wants to win the Champions League. I’m not saying he wouldn’t have that chance at Liverpool, but La Liga’s an easier league on his body, that’s for sure.”

“I think Liverpool have got to make a decision about Naby Keïta. As I’ve said before, it’s a ridiculous business letting players go out of the door for free. So I think you either need to sell him now, or agree another contract. You can’t run the risk that in six months time he can technically sign abroad for free. It doesn’t make any sense. You have to have a sit down chat with him. If he wants to stay, you give him another deal. If not, sell him now.

“His time in England could be considered a disappointment because although he’s got all those medals, which is great, he wasn’t one of the main cogs in the performing team. It’s like a sub-goalkeeper; they may get the Champions League medal but they’ve played no games! You’d rather be a big force in the team every week than just sit there and collect trophies.”

“I wouldn’t be worried, it’s early days. They performed well enough last season and I think there are about eight shocked clubs at the moment. I thought Villa were going to kick on. I didn’t see Arsenal doing what they’re doing, so I think there are a lot of surprises everywhere. 

“I still think Villa have got the right man for the job. It’s a club going in the right direction and you’re going to lose some games. Everyone wants to get off to a great start to the season, so everyone is flying and fighting for fitness, so I think it’s way too early to get worried.”

“I think he’s a decent enough player. I don’t think at the moment he’s world-class in terms of being in the top four or five clubs but West Ham need bodies. They’re going to go deep in a few tournaments this season so I think that would be a decent signing.”

“Yes, I think they can. Again, with West Ham being another team that performed really well last year, I think we can always look into early results and get carried away. I think their philosophy is the same, they’ve signed a few players and their squad is better than it was last season.”

“I’d say Chelsea have had the best. Kalidou Koulibaly looks brilliant; he’s going to help them out massively. Raheem Sterling is a great signing and they have big hopes for Marc Cucurella at left-back. I can’t think of anyone else that has signed three big players like that. 

“I would have liked Rüdiger to stay. I think that was a bit of a mistake and he would have had a good partnership with Koulibaly. He’s probably the only player I would have kept from the players they’ve sold this summer, so overall I think they’ve done good business.”

“I will go with Manchester United and Tottenham. Normally, I would have said Arsenal but they have been pretty solid to be honest.”

“Yes, I think they should. There have been strong rumours of his departure and there’s no smoke without fire. I’m not saying he’s a bad apple but it isn’t working at the moment.

“I don’t know if he’s causing problems because I’m not in the dressing room. If the rumours are true then it makes sense. The other players should be bigger and stronger and not allow one player to upset the whole dressing room. It’s probably got an element of truth in it, but it can’t all be true.”

“I don’t see why he couldn’t be a success at PSG. As I say, you don’t lose your ability overnight and I’ve always been a big fan of Marcus. I don’t know if something is wrong upstairs or not but PSG are a good side, they’ll go deep in the Champions League, sometimes you have to take yourself out of your comfort zone. He’s from Manchester, he’s got his friends and family there and maybe there’s too many distractions. To take yourself away and concentrate on your career might be a good idea.”

“It’s a tough one because he’s a great player and he’s won everything there is to win. However, I just don’t think he’s the player they need at the moment. I don’t think he’s going to get a game by the scruff of the neck. He’s not box to box, he’s just going to sit there and that’s a luxury they aren’t good enough for at the moment. It’s okay for him to do that at Real Madrid when he’s got players flying all around him, breaking up the play and winning the ball back but I don’t know if that’s what United need. Obviously, he’s a good player and he’s going to bring great experience. It probably will be a signing that the other players would like to see, but he’s not going to fix that team on his own.

“Regarding the financial package being offered to him, there’s always going to be that element surrounding the move. He wouldn’t be going there otherwise to be honest, but that’s only one part of it. I don’t think it’s the only reason. The thing is, Manchester United have to pay big money because they’re not the most attractive club at the moment, and they haven’t been for a while, so they have to pay these players big amounts to get them to pick them over somebody else.”

“It’s an awful lot of money and it’s another player in a position they don’t need. They’ve signed wingers for that sort of money two or three times and got it wrong. I don’t know how they pick these players to be honest. I don’t know what the pattern is or what the plan is but it’s almost like they just pick someone and then pay silly amounts. It’s not like they’ve got a system where they’ve got certain players that will fit their style of play, because no one knows their style of play. They just buy the next exciting winger, it doesn’t make sense.”