Former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder has told Chelsea not to sign Lille’s teenage defender Leny Yoro.
The 18-year-old has impressed in Ligue 1 this season and he has been tipped to join a top European side in the near future.
Yoro has been linked with Chelsea as they look for a long-term replacement for the ageing Thiago Silva, and while Petit has been impressed, he told Genting Casino that buying the player would not be wise.
He said: “I know Leny Yoro well, I watch him in France, and he’s been nicknamed the next Raphael Varane. He was 16 when he started with the Lille first team... and all of a sudden his life changed.
“The manager said he needed someone to repeat his age as he always was shocked at [how] young he is. In the space of two years, he’s been an absolute rock in defence.
“But to replace Thiago Silva already? How many French defenders do they need? They have Badiashile, Disasi, Fofana, Chalobah and Silva there. It’s too many.
"Chelsea need to focus on the players they have rather than buy more. Fofana has barely played and he’s meant to be one of the top French talents.
“Let Yoro improve step by step, right now it’s too early. [William] Saliba was [the] perfect example, he was at Arsenal early on but spent three years on loan before cementing his name in Arsenal’s XI.
“The season Saliba did with Marseille changed everything and now he’s one of the best defenders in the world.”
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