Chelsea are set for a major overhaul in the transfer market this summer. Here are eight players who could leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
Ashley Cole / John Terry / Frank Lampard
John Terry, Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard are all out of contract this summer. Given that only Petr Cech has appeared in more Premier League games than Terry this season, Jose Mourinho is unlikely to want to lose him – particularly when the former England captain has been amongst the top performing centre backs in the country.
The futures of Cole and Lampard are up in the air though, with Azpilicueta having taken Cole’s place at left back, and David Luiz and Ramires typically starting at the base of midfield.
Although Lampard has started the majority of UEFA Champions League fixtures, the veteran Englishman has only started 18 of Chelsea’s 33 Premier League games.
With Marco van Ginkel closing in on a return from his anterior cruciate knee ligament injury, Lampard may find it even more difficult to get into the team next term.
It is unlikely that Chelsea will allow all three of Terry, Cole and Lampard to leave this summer, given their experience, pedigree and help meeting home grown quotas, but we suspect that at least one will go. Because we’re not sure which, we’ve grouped them together on this list.
Ryan Bertrand
Ryan Bertrand is the first player ever to make his UEFA Champions League debut in the final, in 2012, and helped Chelsea win the tournament in a penalty shootout against Bayern Munich.
However, he was unable to oust Ashley Cole from the left back slot, and is also unlikely to start ahead of Eden Hazard in his secondary position of left wing.
Bertrand has spent the current season on loan at Aston Villa, and at the age of 24 really ought to be playing regular first team football.
John Obi Mikel
Chelsea fought extremely hard to sign John Obi Mikel back in 2006, but despite the potential he showed as a teenager, it is fair to say that he hasn’t developed into the world class player the Blues hoped he would – despite an impressive trophy haul.
Mikel has won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, FA Cup, League Cup and Community Shield while at the Stamford Bridge club, but appears further from the first team than ever – starting just nine times in the Premier League all season.
Mikel’s time with Chelsea looks set to come to an end.
Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres has been an unmitigated disaster upon signing for Chelsea in January 2011.
Blues owner Roman Abramovich splashed out the colossal sum of £50 million to sign Torres from Liverpool, and the Spaniard has scored just 19 goals in his 106 Premier League appearances.
Torres’ highest scoring top flight season in his three and a half for Chelsea was the eight he managed in the last campaign, and given that he has only managed four so far this term he has some work to do to match even that underwhelming total.
Given that Jose Mourinho has stated his intention to sign a top class centre forward this summer, it is probably time for Torres and Chelsea to part ways.
Demba Ba
Unlike Fernando Torres, who has had plenty of opportunities, Demba Ba has struggled to earn a starting place at Chelsea.
His goal record is actually not terrible though, given his limited opportunities from the beginning of matches.
Ba has only started 20 times in all competitions for Chelsea, coming on as a substitute in 25 other games for a few minutes at a time.
He has scored 12 goals in total for the Blues, and could certainly do a job elsewhere.