Chelsea could see up to 12 players leaving the club in a dramatic mass exit.

July 27, 2024 13:50 PM

Chelsea may see up to 12 players depart this summer as they look to reduce their wage bill and streamline their squad, according to The Mirror.

The club is reportedly keen to offload several players who have returned from loan spells or were unable to secure permanent moves last year. Romelu Lukaku, the club's highest earner, has been on the market without success for the past two summers. Kepa Arrizabalaga is back after a loan at Real Madrid, where he spent much of his time on the bench. David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, and Cesare Casadei have also returned and are expected to leave.

Potential Departures Other players who might be sold include homegrown talents Trevoh Chalobah and Conor Gallagher, as well as regulars like Ben Chilwell and Djordje Petrovic. Malang Sarr, who fell out of favor, has already had his contract terminated to facilitate a move to RC Lens. Young prospects such as Alfie Gilchrist, Andrey Santos, and Lesley Ugochukwu might be sent out on loan.

Chelsea needs to make sales before pursuing additional signings. So far this transfer window, they have acquired Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Leicester City, Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa, Renato Veiga from FC Basel, Caleb Wiley from Atlanta, Marc Guiu from Barcelona, and Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham. The club is also linked with Villarreal's Filip Jorgensen, Boca Juniors' Aaron Anselmino, and Athletic Club's Nico Williams.

New Leadership With Mauricio Pochettino’s departure, Enzo Maresca has stepped in as Chelsea’s new manager. Maresca, who led Leicester to the Premier League as champions in his first attempt, now faces the challenge of guiding Chelsea back into the Champions League and competing for titles.

Maresca had his first chance to evaluate his squad during a 2-2 draw with Wrexham in a heated pre-season friendly. The new manager will look to secure his first win with the young team against Celtic on Saturday in Indiana as they continue their pre-season tour of the United States.