English Premier League club Chelsea has been on most covers for their massive spending in the past two transfer windows, and it seems they are ready to go for quite a few more covers with their activity next summer. The big difference is that this time they will be on the selling side of most deals.
The Blues will have to let some footballers leave to decrease the amount of money they pay in wages, and according to The Athletic, the Blues are ready to bid farewell to up to twelve players. While some of those names could be expected, others can truly be categorized as surprises, as they include footballers that have accomplished quite a few accolades with the London-based outfit.
Out of those players who were expected to leave the club, the report by The Athletic has named Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Hakim Ziyech. In fact, Pulisic and Ziyech came close to leaving Chelsea in the winter transfer window, but negotiations for the American winger fell apart in the final days, while Ziyech's move to PSG was not completed due to an error with the paperwork submitted by Chelsea, which prevented the signing from being completed.
Other players included on The Athletic's list are captain César Azpilicueta, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz, Conor Gallagher, and surprisingly, Raheem Sterling, who just joined the Blues in the past summer transfer window. Havertz's name stands out in this group, as the German ace has been key to some of the Blues' most recent titles, and this fact alone will reportedly be used as leverage by Chelsea if any negotiations for his services begin.
Last, but not least, Chelsea may also be inclined to negotiate the fates of some of the players they have on loan. Most notably, the names of Romelu Lukaku and Callum Hudson-Odoi stand out, while others such as Ethan Ampadu or Tiemoue Bakayoko are also expected to search for pastures new.
So, there you have it. Chelsea seems determined to lower their wages, even if that means they need to say goodbye to some of their stellar names. Needless to say, it will be an interesting summer at Stamford Bridge's offices.
