A host of players the Stamford Bridge side can afford to let go at the end of the season.
It’s been a tempestuous season for Chelsea, to say the least. Since sacking Roberto Di Matteo in November, and subsequently bringing in Rafa Benitez, the club has seemed unsettled. Fans have been unanimous in their lack of support for the interim boss, but a new man will be installed at the end of the season. He will inherit a squad full of ageing stars on big money, and younger players who have had to seek chances elsewhere.
Fernando Torres
When you sign a striker for £50 million, you expect goals, but Torres, sadly, has failed to deliver. 27 goals in 115 appearances for the Blues suggests that this has been money poorly spent and the player’s confidence looks shot. The price tag has been his albatross and a move back to Spain has been mooted, though Chelsea will want to recoup as much as they can for him, which could scupper any potential deal. A new manager may believe that he can recapture the Spaniard’s best form, but if the man who brought him to England can’t do it, then it may be one order too tall.
Ross Turnbull
Turnbull was a surprise signing back in 2009 after having a short run in the Middlesbrough side that were relegated from the Premier League. Firmly established as a ‘cup player,’ wracking up just 18 appearances in nearly four years. There is a sense, though, that Chelsea can do better. However, Thibaut Courtois is believed to want another season with Atletico Madrid, so the 29-year-old may find himself getting reacquainted with the Chelsea bench again next season.
Yossi Benayoun
Some moves just don’t work out for some players. Another surprise signing back in 2010. Since then he’s been out on loan twice, first to Arsenal and now to West Ham, and at 32 years of age he can’t have long left. An incredibly talented player with a lot to offer somebody else, Chelsea would do well to sell him for whatever they can get and put better use to the wages they would save from him.
Marko Marin
The Bundesliga is producing an exciting crop of young players at the moment, and Marin was considered as one of the best. However, the 16-cap German international has seen his stock fall since joining Chelsea last summer. The diminutive attacker has been limited to just five league appearances but that could largely be down to the form of those around him. Still able to command a healthy fee, a move away could be beneficial to both club and player.
Paulo Ferreira
Once one of Chelsea’s most reliable players, he’s now seen his opportunities dwindle and has made just the one appearance this season. At 34, he’s now in the twilight of a successful career, but is also on big money, no doubt. He could offer a club somewhere else another year, or he could move into coaching as he has the experience, but one thing is for sure; he’s taking up space on the team sheet. Chelsea will want to make a fresh assault on the title next year and it’s hard to imagine that Ferreira will be a part of that. Unlikely to be offered a new contract when his current one ends this summer.
Gael Kakuta
A player who once caused so much controversy, many wondered if he was worth the trouble. Four years on and the answer to that is looking like a no. He’s spent more time out on loan than at Chelsea with the likes of Fulham, Bolton, Dijon and currently Vitesse taking him on short term deals. At a club like Chelsea, where it’s common to send young players out on loan to cut their teeth, a buzz will usually follow them. Sadly, there has been no buzz surrounding Kakuta and a small fee for the Frenchman would be most welcome.
Florent Malouda
Once so key to everything the club achieved, Malouda’s star has fallen considerably since last season. He’s not kicked a ball all year and was thought to be seeking a move away last summer, but a refusal to accept anything less than the £80,000 per week pay packet he’s on in London. At 32-years-old, one would have to question what exactly he could bring to the team now, especially since his match fitness will be nowhere near the standard required. Both Di Matteo and Benitez have overlooked him suggesting that the end is certainly nigh, and a move away looks more than likely come July.
Jeffrey Bruma
Despite being a Dutch international, there doesn’t seem to be a place for Bruma at Chelsea. He spent some time on loan at Championship side Leicester City and has since been based in Hamburg where after initially impressing, has struggled to hold down a regular first team spot the second time around. Apparently unhappy at spending so much time in Chelsea’s reserves, he’d be reluctant to head back to London if a first team spot wasn’t available – which doesn’t look likely.
Hilario
It’s difficult to pick up on what’s good and what’s bad about Hilario because in six years we’ve seen so little of him. A perennial number 3 during his time in West London, he last had a steady run of games during Petr Cech’s recovery from a fractured skull in 2006. It’s hard to see who would buy him at this stage of his career so a coaching role, either at Chelsea or elsewhere, could be on the cards for the one cap Portuguese ‘keeper.
Michael Essien
Like Malouda, he is a player who was once so crucial to Chelsea’s success. He had it all; power, pace, strong tacking, and an eye for goal. However, his injury problems have limited in input and his impact. Currently on loan at Real Madrid where he’s linked up with former boss, Jose Mourinho, Chelsea would do well to cash in on the 30-year-old and replace him with a younger model.