Stamford Bridge side look to garner decent amount of funds from sale of unwanted talents.
Chelsea are reportedly ready to swing the axe in a big way this summer as Jose Mourinho looks to conduct a major Blues cull according to the Metro.
Mourinho is keen to adopt a sensible transfer window approach to squad re-building and after banking nearly £50m from the sale of David Luiz to PSG the Chelsea manager is ready to say farewell to a number of others to help fund additions to his playing staff with Cesc Fabregas having already joined the west London club.
To help trim the club’s wage bill and to help make room for new signings Mourinho will allow Frank Lampard, Samuel Eto’o and Ashley Cole all leave when their contracts expire at the end of June.
The veteran trio are three of Chelsea’s biggest earners and all failed to deliver the goods last term, in marked contrast to John Terry, with the experienced centre-back putting in a near flawless campaign.
Mourinho has shown that he will not be swayed be sentiment and as such feels no compunction over the futures of Chelsea favourites Cole and Lampard and the fact that Eto’o wasn’t too impressed by comments made by his manager over his ‘real’ age probably hastens his exit from the Premier League club after just one season.
Jose Mourinho is ready to offload flop forward Fernando Torres though one wonders just how much of the £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool for the striker they can hope to recoup.
The 30 year old Spaniard has managed just 20 goals in 110 Premier League appearances and may benefit from a move back to La Liga.
Having failed to force his way into Chelsea’s first team set-up Mourinho will also look to cash-in on 21 year old Belgian Romelu Lukaku, who unlike Torres has proven a prolific Premier League marksman over the past two campaigns.
A 17 goal haul at West Brom was followed by 15 goals in 29 starts during a hugely successful loan stint at Everton and there will be no shortage of offers for the former Anderlecht man, especially if he impresses at the World Cup.
Mourinho will look to welcome Thibaut Courtois back to Chelsea after three solid seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid which will in turn allow Chelsea to sell Czech Republic international Petr Cech.
The 32 year old is still one of the most reliable keepers in Europe and isn’t a player who would be happy to warm the Stamford Bridge bench so Chelsea should be able to bank a decent sum for the former Rennes man.
Having signed Nemanja Matic in January Mourinho feels he can also afford to sell defensive midfielder John Obi Mikel, who has become somewhat surplus to requirements at the club.
Finally Chelsea will make bit-part player Ryan Bertrand available on a permanent transfer with the 25 year old no doubt keen to build on his loan spell at Aston Villa having spent far too long trying to oust Ashley Cole from the left-back slot only to see Spaniard Cesar Azpilicueta jump the queue.
Chelsea are hoping to garner upwards of £70m from the sale of these five players, which may perhaps be a tad optimistic.
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