Ten Stamford Bridge players who should be set for a Blues exit.
10. Oriol Romeu
The former Barcelona midfielder has looked well off the pace in English football, and is now struggling to get anywhere near the Chelsea first team. After two years at the club there’s little obvious reason to keep him around any longer, particularly with the Blues being linked with the likes of Xabi Alonso to play in that midfield playmaker position.
9. Paulo Ferreira
It’s easy to forget that Paulo Ferreira still exists, as the 34-year-old has played a minimal amount of games in the last five seasons. Why he’s still on the Chelsea books is not clear, but he must be nearing an exit now, as the Blues could do with paying his wages to players who can actually contribute something to the team. A strange end to the career of a player who was a key part of Chelsea’s title-winning teams under Jose Mourinho.
8. Marko Marin
Little has been seen of the German midfielder this season. Signed from Werder Bremen last summer, it was thought that he might have the ability to challenge the likes of Juan Mata and Eden Hazard for a place in the team. Things haven’t worked out for Marin, and with the more talented German attacker Andre Schurrle set to arrive in the summer, chances of a first team place won’t be improving any time soon.
7. Florent Malouda
Once a key player for Chelsea, the French midfielder has been frozen out by the club over the last two seasons. He was perhaps harshly droppped at the time, but now 32, there’s little chance of him earning his place back with the younger and more talented competition ahead of him.
6. Yossi Benayoun
Benayoun has had a hard time at Chelsea, getting a season-ending injury shortly after joining the club from Liverpool, and failing to impress the Blues despite an impressive loan spell at Arsenal last year. The Israeli recently announced his decision to quit the club for first team football, and it’s hard to see them getting in his way.
5. Gael Kakuta
It’s hard to believe Chelsea once risked a transfer ban in their bid to sign the French youngster. Kakuta was expected to break into their first team a couple of years ago, but has found himself farmed out on loan to the likes of Fulham, Bolton and Dutch side Vitesse all in the space of about a year. Clearly not the talent they thought he was, the 21-year-old will surely be shown the door this summer.
4. Josh McEachran
The young midfield playmaker was once compared with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, though it’s hard to see why after an unimpressive loan spell with Swansea last season. He has looked good at Championship level in another loan spell for Middlesbrough this season, but the Chelsea first team looks a step too far for the 20-year-old, who may make a permanent move to the lower leagues in the summer.
3. Victor Moses
The Nigerian winger was signed just this season from Wigan after playing a key part in their tremendous end-of-season form that saw the Latics escape relegation, but overall the 22-year-old hasn’t looked like becoming the player who was once so highly rated as a youngster at Crystal Palace. With much competition ahead of him, as well as reported interest from Swansea, Moses looks unlikely to have a future at Stamford Bridge.
2. Michael Essien
A decent loan spell at Real Madrid this year probably won’t be enough to convince Chelsea to take another punt on Michael Essien. Once a star player for the club, the Ghanian has had his career wrecked by injuries and no longer looks capable of the fighting performances he was once famous for. Unlikely to feature in the plans of whoever is Chelsea boss next season.
1. Fernando Torres
Former club Atletico Madrid are reportedly keen on rescuing Fernando Torres from his Chelsea nightmare. After joining for a record-breaking £50million from Liverpool, the Spanish striker has looked a shadow of his former self at Stamford Bridge, and his time is surely up after three seasons of failing to prove himself. The Blues signed Demba Ba in January, and will look to add more strikers this summer as they surely finally decide to let Torres go.