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Former Chelsea midfielder Jacob Mellis, whom the Blues signed in a £1 million deal from Sheffield United in 2009 is now homeless. The 32-year-old has struggled with alcohol addiction throughout his career and has given his account of what went wrong.
Mellis regularly featured for the Chelsea Reserves, making FA Youth Cup finals with ease. He only made one senior appearance for the Blues, coming on as a substitute in the UEFA Champions League in 2010 against MSK Zilina.
During his time at Chelsea, the former England 19 international struggled with alcohol addiction. It got to the point where David Luiz and Ashely Cole attempted to set him on the right path.
Unfortunately, Jacob Mellis was sacked in 2012 by the Blues for setting off a smoke grenade at the club's Cobham Training center. His addition plagued the rest of his career while he played for the likes of Barnsley, Bury, and Mansfield Town.
A misdiagnosed knee injury in 2022 ended his career prematurely. Now homeless, Jacob Mellis reflected on his current struggles in an interview with Daily Mail. He said (via Daily Mirror):
"I spend each day just thinking about where to go really. I have family but I don’t really want to rely on them. I want to try to do stuff for myself. It’s been difficult. I try not to think about it too much. I just try and get on with it."
He added:
"They just want the best for me. They try to help me as much as they can. Obviously they’ve got their own lives. They get me hotels, or I can stay at their house sometimes. From day to day nothing is settled. You think it can never happen to you. I didn’t plan on retiring. It’s difficult."
Fortunately, Mellis has reached out to the PFA and is set to enter the Sporting Chance clinic to help him combat his addiction to alcohol.
Chelsea star close to joining Real Madrid for €60 million: Reports
According to German news outlet BILD, Chelsea star Kai Havertz is close to joining Real Madrid for a reported fee of €60 million. The deal could be completed quickly as the Germany international is open to a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Chelsea signed Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen for €80 million in 2020, so this would mean the Blues have to accept a €20 million loss. They won't be able to negotiate much as they need income from sales in order to strengthen their squad under Mauricio Pochettino.
The 23-year-old has largely struggled for Chelsea as a lone forward, only scoring nine goals in 47 appearances across competitions this season. With Karim Benzema confirmed to be leaving Real Madrid this summer, Havertz could be a potential replacement for the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner.
The Blues are reportedly in the market for an impact forward and are currently looking at the likes of Victor Osimhen and Lautaro Martinez.
