Former Chelsea defender William Gallas has criticised the club’s failure to sign a proper replacement for Thiago Silva following his departure last summer.

The Blues have struggled defensively this season, keeping just four clean sheets in the Premier League, and Gallas believes their recruitment has been flawed.

Speaking to DAZN, Gallas questioned Chelsea’s decision-making, particularly highlighting the £70 million signing of Wesley Fofana in 2022.

“Chelsea didn’t sign a defender with the same qualities [as Silva] despite spending £70 million on Wesley Fofana, which has just been a disaster,” he said.

The French centre-back arrived from Leicester City with high expectations, but his time at Stamford Bridge has been plagued by long-term injuries. Gallas admitted he was concerned from the start due to Fofana’s previous fitness struggles.

“When Chelsea signed Fofana three years ago, I was very worried because he had already suffered a long-term injury at Leicester.”

Fofana, 23, has endured multiple setbacks since joining Chelsea, limiting his availability. While his injuries have varied, Gallas believes the toll on his body has affected his performances even when fit.

“Even though his injuries have been different, sometimes a bad injury can have a lot of damage on the body and since he joined Chelsea, even when he was fit, he hasn’t been able to find his best performances.”

With Chelsea’s defensive instability this season, Gallas suggested the club may have made a costly mistake.

“Chelsea have potentially made a mistake. He has the potential to go very far but it’s so hard to come back from serious injuries and reach the same level. You have to be so sure when you spend that sort of money and they can’t have been.”

Despite his struggles, Fofana is expected to return before the end of the season, providing Enzo Maresca’s side with a much-needed boost in their push for European qualification. However, with Chelsea’s defensive issues continuing, Gallas’ concerns over their recruitment strategy remain a talking point.