As many as FIFTEEN first-team stars could leave Chelsea, with some likelier to depart than others
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The Blues have spent heavily in the Boehly era, forking out in excess of £1bn on new recruits. A sizeable chunk of that outlay has been offset by lucrative player sales, with the likes of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz accounting for £120m by themselves.
Chelsea have often bought rising young stars with sky high potential and secured them to mammoth contracts in terms of length.
Whether that’s a strategy that will pay dividends down the line or handcuff the club in future years remains to be seen.
But according to the Telegraph and now Football London, a series of player sales could be required this summer in order to allow the club to go again in the market.
The first player in line to generate a sizeable sum for the club is left-back Lewis Hall.
Romano and Howe all but confirm Lewis Hall transfer
The 19-year-old joined Newcastle on a season-long loan last summer and his deal contains a conditional obligation to buy. The clause is understood to be worth an initial £28m plus a further £7m in future add-ons.
Taking to X over the weekend, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano confirmed Hall’s permanent move to Newcastle is “just a matter of time.”
Furthermore, Magpies boss Eddie Howe acknowledged the permanent move is expected to cross the line.
“Yeah, I think so,” replied Howe when asked if Hall to Newcastle is ‘nailed on.’
“That’s why I’m preparing for him to be here long term and I’m delighted with that because he has many qualities that we’re looking for.
“In terms of my thinking, I’m preparing for Lewis to be at Newcastle for many years. He was always brought in with a long-term view, not a short-term signing. He is a long-term signing.”
Hall could fetch Chelsea as much as £35m and given he’s a homegrown player, will represent pure profit on Chelsea’s balance sheet.
The sale of homegrown stars is one factor that has allowed Chelsea to invest so heavily in the market in recent years.
14 more exit-bound Chelsea stars named
According to Football London, selling will be just as important as buying at Stamford Bridge this summer.
A fresh update from the publication namechecked Hall as one of a whopping 15 first-team stars who could leave the club ahead of next season.
The report named goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, defenders Malang Sarr, Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella and Ian Maatsen, midfielders Carney Chukuwuemeka and Conor Gallagher, wingers Noni Madueke, Raheem Sterling and Hakim Ziyech and strikers Romelu Lukaku, David Datro Fofana and Armando Broja as players who could all join Hall in leaving.
Who’s likeliest to leave and in what guise
Of course, some on that list are likelier to leave than others, such as Thiago Silva whose contract expires at season’s end.
TEAMtalk exclusively revealed back on February 12 that Chelsea are ready to call time on Cucurella’s sub-par stint in west London.
According to reports in Spain, the Spaniard is ready to turn his back on English football altogether and has ‘asked his agents to find a new destination for him in LaLiga.’
Maatsen is impressing on loan with Borussia Dortmund and won’t lack for suitors. Prior to leaving for Dortmund Maatsen signed a new deal at Chelsea that inserted a £35m release clause into his contract.
Chelsea would be loathe to lose Gallagher who is a firm favourite of Mauricio Pochettino.
However, Tottenham hold serious interest and the sale of a homegrown star like Gallagher would work wonders for the club’s books.
Gallagher’s current contract expires at the end of the 2024/25 season and if talks don’t yield a breakthrough, a sale would make sense.
Any exits for rising stars Chukwuewmeka and Madueke would likely be via the loan route. Nonetheless, Football London do suggest permanent sales could be entertained if big bids are tabled.
Chelsea’s interest in Athletic Bilbao Nico Williams forward is being tipped to spell the end for Sterling, while Romelu Lukaku can leave if any club bids £37m.
Of the 15 stars whose futures could lay away from Stamford Bridge this summer, five were signed in the Boehly era (Cucurella, Chukwuemeka, Madueke, Sterling and Fofana).