The situation at Chelsea can be aptly summed up in one word; turmoil.
Another defeat this weekend highlights a situation in west London that is in stark contrast to what countless Blues supporters envisioned when new co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali took charge at Stamford Bridge before quickly opening the safe door and allowing close to £600m to be spent across rampant market spending between the summer and winter windows.
Todd Boehly hearing it from Chelsea fans after their 2-1 loss to Brighton 😬 pic.twitter.com/sg2H9wG1FX
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 15, 2023
Fans are now up in arms over the club’s situation and have targeted the ownership for justifiable criticism after record-breaking spending and two managers sacked in less than a year since their arrival.
Despite the wealth of talent that has arrived in the capital, Chelsea is likely soon to be out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid, and more shockingly, are in the bottom half of the Premier League table and eleven points adrift of a top six finish, with just thirty goals scored in thirty-one fixtures; a figure that Manchester City star Erling Haaland has eclipsed personally.
With reports from The Athletic among other top media outlets confirming a three-week time horizon from roughly the second week of June until the first of July, Chelsea must jettison a large number of the senior squad to recover losses on the books in 2022-23 while giving the club a chance to make key signings in the upcoming summer window.
Given the impending summer fire sale, 101 Great Goals runs the rule over who Chelsea should look to keep and who should be deemed as surplus to requirements across a staggering 32-man squad come June.
📰 Table Of Contents
Goalkeeper
Kepa Arrizabalaga (Stick): Locked into a deal until 2025, Spanish international keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has done well to regain his first-choice status at Chelsea after initially losing out to Senegalese shot-stopper Edouard Mendy. There are much bigger problems at the Bridge than their keeper situation.
Edouard Mendy (Stick): Though he is high-profile for a backup keeper, Edouard Mendy’s experience and affordable wages means that he should be clear of the ax this summer for the time being. Long-term signing Gabriel Slonina (see below) could change all that past the 2023-24 campaign.
Marcus Bettinelli (Twist): Given the fact that Chelsea will have four keepers on the books once Gabriel Slonina returns, there is little reason to have 30-year-old Marcus Bettinelli on the books. Given low wages and a low market value, there are likely to be plenty of suitors that could come calling.
Gabriel Slonina (Stick): One of the hottest prospects to emerge from the United States in recent years, Chelsea re sure to keep Gabriel Slonina for the foreseeable future. Still just 18, he is a long way off from a starting birth, but his development will likely be key to the club’s future.
Defense
Wesley Fofana (Stick): The second-highest purchase in the summer behind Enzo Fernández, French defender Wesley Fofana has already established himself as a first-choice option for Chelsea in defense and fans can expect him to remain as such for some time yet.
Benoît Badiashile (Stick): One of many long-term signings due to his age and predicted development and progression, Benoît Badiashile has earned minutes since his arrival from AS Monaco and will surely be looked at as another young player in the club’s core moving forward.
Kalidou Koulibaly (Twist): The veteran presence of Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly was a breath of fresh air at the beginning of the season, but his frailties have become evident and glaring in recent months. Chelsea should cash in and can likely bank on a number of clubs making contact.
Trevoh Chalobah (Stick): Assuming Chelsea will not push for a handful of new center-back signings in the summer, Cobham product Trevoh Chalobah is still a viable option as a depth defender in a 23-man squad, especially if a new manager comes in and reinstitutes a back four.
Thiago Silva (Stick): Despite pushing 40, Brazilian icon Thiago Silva remains the club’s most consistent performer across its center-back options, and after extending his deal another season earlier in the year, Chelsea should keep him on the books for one last hurrah in 2023-24.
Marc Cucurella (Stick): Heavily lauded at Brighton and coveted by other top clubs in the country beyond Chelsea, there is still scope to suggest that Marc Cucurella will truly come good at the Bridge and the club should stick by him.
Ben Chilwell (Stick): Every now and then some may question if Chelsea and Ben Chilwell should part ways, but at his best, he is certainly good enough to be first choice for the club. Sticking by him makes sense, especially if he can find consistency.
Lewis Hall (Stick): When he received spot starts due to injuries, Lewis Hall impressed; certainly enough to have a credible future at the club. Without Europe next season, minutes may be limited and he could be loaned away in 2023-24, but any notion of selling should never be mentioned.
Reece James (Stick): One of the real key players at Chelsea, there is an undeniable difference when James is available and when he has been absent through injury. At all costs the club should keep him as an untouchable piece in a project that many hope comes good moving forward.
César Azpilicueta (Stick): With one year remaining on his terms in west London come the summer, rather than the Blues shelling out further cash for another backup, letting the veteran Spanish international run out the remainder of his deal makes sense given other summer priorities.
Midfield
Enzo Fernández (Stick) – There is little to say here when it comes to the Argentinian midfielder and World Cup winner. He started like a house on fire since his arrival from SL Benfica, and though he’s been somewhat average of late, overall, he’s a top-level midfield talent who just extended his deal.
N’Golo Kanté (Twist) – One of the club’s highest earners, his deal runs out at the end of the current season and there seems to be no sign of the club moving to add further years to his contract. The one plus side of a departure comes by way of getting his wages off the books.
Denis Zakaria (Twist) – A loan move that has not panned out by any metric, the Swiss midfielder has done little to earn a longer stay at Stamford Bridge and will likely not be missed next season.
Mateo Kovačić (Stick) – After the current 2022-23 season, one of Croatia’s top talents in Mateo Kovačić will have just one year left on his deal. Though there is scope to make a play to move on from him and extract a fee, Chelsea really should be keeping and extending.
Conor Gallagher (Stick) – Much like a cadre of other players in the current squad, Conor Gallagher has not been consistent this season, but his performances for Crystal Palace last season showed what he can do if he finds his feet. Keeping him makes sense, especially given his age.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Twist) – His versatility is valuable, and there are no two ways around that fact. But for a player that was once billed as a player capable of reaching a high level, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has fallen well short of those expectations. A sale to a lower-to-mid table side makes sense.
Carney Chukwuemeka (Stick) – A victim of circumstance since his summer arrival from Aston Villa, England youth international Carney Chukwuemeka has plenty of talent to give in the long term despite only a smattering of chances coming his way. Stick makes plenty of sense.
Kai Havertz (Stick) – His rise in the Bundesliga as one of the top young talents was hardly a fluke, but his utilization at Stamford Bridge on a tactical level has been frustrating to witness. With plenty of talent, as long as he is deployed correctly, Havertz can be a star for the club down the line.
Mason Mount (Twist) – Much like friend and fellow Cobham product Reece James, Mason Mount is intrinsically linked to Chelsea. But the reality is that his progression has massively deflated this season, and with one year left on his deal come the summer, and plenty of interest from outside parties, getting a good fee and wishing him well could be the best pathway.
Forward Line
Mykhailo Mudryk (Stick) – Some think his move to Chelsea was the wrong one; a debate that will continue to rage on social media in all likelihood. He remains raw, but his projected ceiling is incredibly high. Time, and the right man in the door, should see him flourish next term once he truly settles.
Raheem Sterling (Stick) –
Christian Pulisic (Twist) – The American star has one year left on his term sheet with Chelsea, and on current form and evidence, it is hard to suggest he can outshine the talent around him for a spot in a smaller squad. The Blues can fetch a solid return and there should be plenty of options for a sale.
Noni Madueke (Stick) – Recently brought into the Blues fold during the January window, England youth international Noni Madueke shown at PSV Eindhoven to earn a move back to England. His long-term future should be secure given limited current options at right-wing.
Hakim Ziyech (Twist) – On his day, the Moroccan international has plenty to offer, but the issue remains that his day has not happened nearly enough since his arrival from Dutch giants Ajax. Now 30, a move away suits both parties involved and gives him a chance for redemption.
João Félix (Stick) – Originally signed on loan, the Portuguese star has proven that he has plenty to offer, even if it has not come off consistently enough in terms of direct return. His talent is undeniable, and the club should look to bring him in on a full-time basis and make his loan move permanent.
Armando Broja (Twist) – Unfortunately for the Albanian international, Chelsea’s priority come the summer is securing an unquestionable first-choice striker via the market. After the addition of David Datro Fofana, Broja’s future seems to be away from the club. He could fetch a considerable fee in the process.
David Datro Fofana (Stick) – Though he has rarely gotten a chance at Chelsea since his arrival from Molde FK in January, Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana has been dubbed the next Didier Drogba for a reason. Over time, he should profile as a player of similar stature; Chelsea just needs to find him minutes.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Twist) – A self-explanatory decision. Gabonese star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has ultimately failed under multiple managers and should be moved on at the earliest possible convenience.
