logo
logo
This lad hasn't looked back...

The 11 players Chelsea let go in the summer – & how they’re faring elsewhere

A boat load of new faces and subsequent mass exodus of the current squad appears to have become the norm at Chelsea in recent times.

Their recruitment strategy ever since being taken over by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital has been chaotic to say the least and that continued this summer, with Chelsea signing 11 new players and letting 11 leave the club permanently.

With the 2024-25 season well underway, we’ve taken a look at the 11 who left Chelsea in the summer and checked in on how they’re doing away from the mad house.

Ian Maatsen

Loaned out halfway through the 2023-24 season after struggling for consistent minutes, Maatsen proved his worth away from Chelsea once again as he made an instant impact at Borussia Dortmund and helped them reach the Champions League final.

With his stock high, Chelsea cashed in on the Dutch left-back with Aston Villa snapping him up in a bid to bolster their squad for the Champions League. It’s been a modest start so far, with Maatsen making seven appearances in the Premier League.

He came off the bench in a win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League before starting as they beat Bologna. Promising.

Lewis Hall

Hall had technically already left Chelsea, spending the 2023-24 season on loan with boyhood club Newcastle United, but his switch was made permanent this summer for an initial £28million.

One for the future, Hall has started five times in the Premier League for Eddie Howe’s side this season, who have endured a mixed start. The 20-year-old now seems to be making himself a more regular pick after being bedded in slowly last season.

Conor Gallagher

Despite being a fan favourite and one of their most consistent midfield performers even if he lacked a little substance, Gallagher’s sale was necessary in order for Chelsea to comply with PSR, so when Atletico Madrid came knocking, they were desperate to close a deal.

It was a sad way for a Cobham graduate to leave, essentially being forced out of the club in the name of balancing the books, but he’s found a new lease of life in Madrid since signing for in excess of £35million.

He was named Los Rojiblancos’ player of the month for September.

Romelu Lukaku

A nightmare that has finally ended for everyone involved, Lukaku returned to Italy to reunite with Antonio Conte at a new club, signing for Napoli.

And he’s off to a flyer, too. The Belgian has started like a house on fire in Serie A this season, bagging three goals and assisting four in just six league appearances.

Just when you think he’s done, he comes back to life once again.

Omari Hutchinson

Having helped fire Ipswich into the Premier League, Chelsea were happy to sell Hutchinson to the Tractor Boys for an initial £18million plus bonuses.

It’s been a tough start to life in the top-flight, however, with Ipswich going winless in their opening eight games. Hutchinson has struggled to make an impact as a result; he’s failed to score and made just one assist so far.

Here’s hoping they can find a run of form and he can rediscover his best stuff.


READ NEXT: Where are they now? The 11 largely disastrous signings Thomas Tuchel made at Chelsea

TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every player to score a Premier League hat-trick for Chelsea?


Angelo

Chelsea spent £13million to sign Angelo from Santos in the summer of 2023 and immediately sent him on loan to Strasbourg for the season.

Just one year later, he’s left the club permanently. The teenager signed for Al-Nassr in a deal worth just shy of £20million, making Chelsea a quick and easy profit.

He’s made seven appearances in all competitions so far, scoring once in the Saudi Pro League.

Diego Moreira

Much like Angelo, Moreira was in and out of the door extremely quickly, signing in the summer of 2023 and being loaned out, before being sold this summer to Strasbourg.

The 20-year-old did actually make his Chelsea debut before leaving on loan, however, and was recalled from Lyon in January 2024. So far this season, Moreira has made eight appearances in Ligue 1 and managed one goal and one assist.

Hakim Ziyech

Ziyech had been surplus to requirements for some time at Chelsea and after spending the 2023-24 season on loan at Galatasaray, he signed on the dotted line permanently for the Turkish giants on a free transfer.

The Moroccan started fast last season and scored a brace against Manchester United in the Champions League, but is yet to find the back of the net this season.

Thiago Silva

After a brilliant four years with Chelsea, Silva finally left the club this summer to return to his native Brazil with Fluminense, his second spell with the club.

A full circle moment, the legend absolutely could’ve kept going in the Premier League, but we love the romance behind a return 15 years in the making. The 40-year-old has slotted straight in and made himself at home once again.

Malang Sarr

Joined for nothing, left for nothing. Sarr was loaned out twice after joining Chelsea in 2020 around brief spells with the first team, but he was ultimately never really fancied and got lost in the shuffle.

He returned to France with Lens this summer, but has done plenty of sitting on the bench so far and started just once in Ligue 1.

Tino Anjorin

Chelsea through and through, Anjorin joined the club at under-7 level and eventually made his senior debut in 2019, but failed to truly nail down a place in the side.

After loans to Lokomotiv Moscow, Huddersfield and Portsmouth, he left for nothing this summer and headed to Italy to sign for Empoli. The 22-year-old has started brightly in Serie A and has started every league game since making his debut as a substitute in a goalless draw against Juventus.