Chelsea are set to try and ship out a host of different fringe players over the coming two months, as BlueCo look to trim their wage bill and keep in line with PSR regulations by raising funds.
Enzo Maresca’s side have done excellently to navigate their way around financial roadblocks to strengthen the squad consistently, ever since Clearlake Capital’s takeover of the club three years ago.
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The Blues appear poised to open talks.
However, if they’re not successful in offloading certain squad members, this task will be made all the more difficult.
|
Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season |
Average match rating |
|---|---|
|
Cole Palmer |
7.33 |
|
Moises Caicedo |
7.02 |
|
Enzo Fernández |
6.95 |
|
Nicolas Jackson |
6.88 |
|
Noni Madueke |
6.82 |
|
via WhoScored |
|
Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell, who are on a combined salary of around £525,000-per-week, are back at Cobham after their 2024/2025 loan spells at Arsenal and Crystal Palace respectively.
Chelsea will want to find new homes for the England international duo sooner rather than later, and they could be joined by Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi, who are all thought to be on the club’s ‘for sale’ list (The Athletic).
Chelsea could even sell Noni Madueke this summer, despite the Englishman being called one of Maresca’s “best players”, while striker Nicolas Jackson’s future is also up in the air.
There is also the curious case of Renato Veiga, who left Chelsea for Juventus on a loan deal midway through the season, mainly due to his determination to play as a centre-back rather than a full-back in Maresca’s system.
“I had a chat with Renato. I told him playing in the position he’s playing with us, it’s given him the chance to join the national team and created speculation around him, which only happens when you’re playing well,” said Maresca on Veiga’s dissatisfaction in the full-back role earlier this season.
“If there is a player that wants to play in just one position, they are going to struggle. They have to learn to play in different positions because it’s a good thing for the player and the club.”
Renato Veiga “surprised” by Chelsea decision with sale possible
As per journalist Graeme Bailey, after returning from his loan spell at Juve, Veiga was left “very surprised” by Chelsea’s decision to omit him from the Club World Cup squad.
What’s more, it hasn’t been ruled out that the defender could be one of a five-man defensive exodus before deadline day – with Veiga, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin, Benoit Badiashile and Disasi all on the chopping block.
“It’s a fascinating situation with Veiga, he was very surprised he wasn’t included in the Club World Cup squad,” said Bailey.
“There were indications from Chelsea that he would get a chance in a left-sided centre-back role — but Chelsea have so many centre-backs it’s staggering, and they still want more.
“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Chalobah, Tosin, Badiashile, Disasi and Veiga could all be sold.
“People keep asking why Chelsea can spend so much money, well, there’s five reasons why PSR isn’t a concern.
“But Veiga had a really good time at Juventus, playing at centre-back. And that’s why he left Chelsea on loan in the first place, he didn’t want to be a left-back, even if he was quite good at it.
“Chelsea were happy with him on the left but he turned up at Stamford Bridge wanting to be a centre-back. Now he’s gone to Juventus, played well, and he thought he’d done enough to warrant a spot at the Club World Cup to prove himself as a centre-back.”
