A ridiculously talented Chelsea XI who are deemed surplus to requirements
Chelsea are sustaining the Premier League transfer market almost by themselves for the third successive summer as the revolving door of incoming and outgoing players continues at Stamford Bridge.
New manager Enzo Maresca has been gifted nine new signings, taking the total number of arrivals in the Boehly era to 43, which means the club need to make significant sales to meet FFP regulations.
We’ve identified a ridiculously talented XI, lining up in an unorthodox 3-4-3 formation, who are all being shoved unceremoniously towards the exit door.
GK: Djordje Petrovic
Chelsea only signed Petrovic in August 2023, but Maresca has already made it clear that he doesn’t fancy the 24-year-old goalkeeper.
The Serbia international was first-choice under Mauricio Pochettino and was part of the team that ended the 2023-24 campaign strongly.
But Maresca’s whole possession-based system relies on the goalkeeper boasting first-class distribution skills and Chelsea have recruited Filip Jorgensen from Villarreal in this window for that express purpose.
Facing a season of behind third choice behind Jorgensen and Robert Sanchez, Petrovic might be conveniently rescued by Boehly-owned Strasbourg who are interested in a season-long loan deal.
Isn’t modern football romantic?
CB: Bashir Humphreys
Academy graduate Humphreys broke into the England Under-21 picture in 2023, but is now poised to leave Chelsea in this window.
Championship promotion hopefuls Burnley appear likely to strike either an immediate permanent signing or a season-long loan with the option of firming up the transfer next summer.
CB: Trevoh Chalobah
Available for £25million, Chalobah has always performed well for the club across more than 50 senior appearances.
But the Blues are desperate to cash in on a player who would represent pure profit, with the likes of Fulham and Crystal Palace sniffing around in the hope of picking up a bargain.
A regular under Pochettino at the end of last season, the departure of Chalobah would see another Cobham graduate leave Chelsea – much to the dismay of their supporters.
CB: Ben Chilwell
Maresca has made no secret of the fact Chilwell is up for sale.
“At this moment, Chilly is with us. He has not been training in the past two days because he was a little bit ill,” Maresca, who like Chilwell swapped Leicester for Chelsea, recently said.
“With Chilly it’s quite clear, I love the way he trains, I love the way he is but the problem is that he struggles with us a little bit to find his best position.
“When you train everyday and you don’t get minutes, it’s not good for them and it’s not good for me because I need to make decisions. For some players, it’s sometimes better to leave and to go somewhere to get minutes.
“We will see what happens, the transfer window is open and we will see what happens.”
With an unshakeable addiction to injury-prone left-backs, Manchester United are thought to be interested in the 27-year-old.
RW: Raheem Sterling
Sterling was peeved to be left out of Chelsea’s squad for their season opener against Manchester City – and his chances of game time are further diminished by the impending arrival of Joao Felix.
Signed in the summer of 2022, the 29-year-old has only shown flashes of form at Stamford Bridge and has lost his place in the England squad too.
Thought to be on wages of £350,000-a-week, Sterling is a player Chelsea would love to get off their books – but only Juventus have expressed an interest so far.
CM: Carney Chukwuemeka
Chelsea paid Aston Villa £20million for Chukwuemeka back in the summer of 2022, but the young midfielder has battled injuries as he’s tried to establish himself in the Blues’ crowded squad.
And after their loss to Manchester City, Maresca admitted Chukwuemeka might be best off finding regular first-team football at another club this season.
Crystal Palace are closely monitoring his situation, but the asking price and Chukwuemeka’s wages might prove stumbling blocks to any deal being completed.
READ NEXT: A ridiculously good XI of academy graduates that Chelsea have sold since 2021
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player let go by Chelsea under Todd Boehly?
CM: Conor Gallagher
Captain for much of last season in the absence of Reece James, Gallagher is now poised to complete his £37.5million move to Atletico Madrid.
Chelsea fans expressed their displeasure at the move by signing Gallagher’s name against Manchester City. Another bond linking club and supporters has been broken.
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player Mauricio Pochettino used as Chelsea manager?
LW: Tino Anjorin
Anjorin could make a permanent move away from Chelsea this summer, with Portsmouth still keen to recruit the pacy winger.
The 22-year-old academy graduate spent last term on loan at Fratton Park, where his progress was limited by injuries. He’s also had loan stints at Huddersfield and Lokomotiv Moscow in previous seasons.
ST: David Datro Fofana
Fofana joined Chelsea from Norwegian club Molde in December 2022 and has since had underwhelming loans at Union Berlin and Burnley.
The club hierarchy are thought to prefer a permanent sale for the 21-year-old ahead of another loan stint, cutting their losses on the Ivory Coast international.
ST: Armando Broja
The Blues are ready to sell Broja this summer, with the Cobham graduate having spent the second part of last term on loan at Fulham.
A clutch of Premier League clubs, including Southampton, Ipswich and Everton, have also maintained an interest in the 22-year-old Albania international alongside Ligue 1 outfit Monaco.
Broja is among seven Chelsea players now without a squad number, after Pedro Neto took the number 19 shirt. Brutal.
ST: Romelu Lukaku
We can’t believe that Lukaku is somehow still a Chelsea player after burning his bridges with an incendiary interview in late 2021.
Since returning for a second stint in Chelsea in August 2021 for a then club-record £97.5million, the striker has spent two years on loan at Inter Milan and Roma.
It’s thought Napoli are in pole position to sign the Belgium international this summer. It will be a deal that suits both parties.