Chelsea transfer activities will take a sharp twist next summer as Blues target nine top players in summer clear-out.
Since taking over from Roman Abramovich as the new owner of the club, Todd Boehly have sunk in a whooping £600m in Chelsea transfer activities, raiding the transfer market for high-profile and promising youngsters to be drafted into his Chelsea project.
Now, sources close to the London club have disclose next summer will be focused on trimming and shuffling the squad to offload some players from the wage list and reduce the club’s spending.
It is a step in the right direction as the club’s humongous spending in the transfer window has rarely translated into domestic or European success.
Chelsea transfer activity largely led by Todd Boehly has rarely yielded result. The club is one leg out of the Champions League after a 2-0 first leg defeat to Real Madrid and are far from European spot in the Premier League.
With no European football in sight next season, the club’s financial fortunes are expected to take a severe downturn next season and the nearest fix to the impending financial doom is selling or offloading some players.
According to reports, the club has already incured a loss of £121.3m in the 2021/23 financial year, placing them at risk of clashing with Premier League fair play rules if they continue spending without offloading some players.
According to the Mirror, nine players will likely fell casualty to the sharp twist in Chelsea transfer plan at the end of the season.
Nine players to be axed in Chelsea transfer list at the end of the season
Leading the list of players that will be cleared by the club is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Aubameyang was deregistered from Chelsea Champions League team and was out of favor with former manager Graham Potter.
The Gabon international is still not guaranteed a starting berth under interim boss Frank Lampard and is likely to be sold at the end of the season.
Also on Chelsea transfer list is Mateo Kovacic. The Croatian mifielder has over one year remaining in his Chelsea contract and the club are yet to decide on his future in the club.
N’Golo Kante is another player that may likely be facing the axe at the end of the season. The France international is yet to sign a new contract with Chelsea and is running out of contract at the end of the season.
There have been talks on renewing his contract but no progress has been recorded.
Hakim Ziyech is another top player on Chelsea transfer list. Ziyech is struggling for game time at Chelsea despite his brilliant World Cup run with Morocco.
Ziyech joined Chelsea from Ajax in 2020, signing a five year contract. He still has over two years remaining in his Chelsea contract but may be sold following the club’s recent signings.
Chelsea former loanee to Borussia Dortmund Christian Pulisic is also on the list. Pulisic signed a five-year contract with Chelsea which will expire in 2024. He has over a year left in his Chelsea contract but has fallen down the pecking order at the Blues.
Mason Mount is also on the list. Mount and Chelsea have been at loggerheads on contract renewal
The bone of contention has been his demand for an increased weekly wage of over £300,000.
His Chelsea contract expires in 2024 but a new deal is yet in place for the England international. He has been linked to a move to Liverpool.
Conor Gallagher is another player on Chelsea transfer list. Gallagher is running out of contract soon but is yet to reach a deal with Chelsea on new contract.
He is also on the transfer radar of Liverpool and Newcastle United who are eyeing a top four finish in the Premier League and need to bolster the squad with experienced players.
Loftus Cheek may also face the axe at the end of the season. The English midfielder has made 97 appearances for the Blues but has lost his place in the starting eleven.
He signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea in 2019 which is set to expire at the end of the next season but has wild out his Chelsea career on loan spells.
The last player on the list is Romelu Lukaku. Lukaku is currently plying his trade on loan with Inter Milan.
Romelu Lukaku went for a second stint with Chelsea in 2021, having played for the club from 2011 to 2014.
He signed a five year contract with the club in 2021 but lost his starting berth before being loaned to Inter Milan. There are reports he will return to Chelsea after the expiration of his loan tenure at Inter Milan.
