Former Chelsea star Joe Cole has launched a scathing critique of the club's transfer strategy, but in a surprising twist, he's pointing the finger at a past regime, not the current ownership.

Cole, who has been openly critical of the club's direction under BlueCo, shifted his focus to a decision made back in 2021: the sale of academy graduate Marc Guéhi to Crystal Palace.

The criticism comes fresh off Manchester City's dominant victory over Chelsea, a match where Guéhi, now a City player, scored against his former club. For Cole, that moment symbolized a profound failure in long-term planning.

"The big moment from a Chelsea perspective," Cole stated on The Dressing Room Podcast, "was when Marc Guéhi scored. I look at where Chelsea are as a club, desperately trying to find a centre-half, spending hundreds of millions... you had a kid in the building."

Cole praised Guéhi's composure and leadership, highlighting his journey from a Chelsea youth player at age six to a commanding presence for the reigning Premier League champions. "He looks like he's been there for 20 years," Cole remarked.

The core of Cole's frustration is a question of legacy and vision. "How has this kid got a Manchester City shirt on?" he asked. "The team should have been built around him five years ago."

He issued a stark warning about the club's decision-making process, urging a thorough internal review. "Whoever has let him out the door... you need to find out who is making these decisions, otherwise these decisions will continue to happen and you’ll keep losing players like that."

It's a poignant reminder in the world of football that the most costly transfers aren't always the ones you buy, but sometimes the homegrown talent you let slip away.