Chelsea surely need to think about balancing the books after so much spending under new owner Todd Boehly since he purchased the club from Roman Abramovich.
The Blues capped off an exciting January by sealing a dramatic late deal for Enzo Fernandez on Deadline Day, with the Argentina international breaking the British transfer record and joining other big talents like Mykhaylo Mudryk, Joao Felix, Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke at Stamford Bridge this month.
So, what next for Chelsea? One imagines there will surely be a fair few players who no longer have much of a future with the west London giants, so we’ve picked out 12 who seem likely to be offloaded in the near future to make way for all these new faces that have come in…
Romelu Lukaku
A massive disappointment when he spent last season at Chelsea, Romelu Lukaku is now back on loan at Inter Milan and isn’t doing much better.
The Belgium international is a world class finisher on his day, but his career now seems in danger of fizzling out, and it’s hard to imagine there’ll be any kind of role for him under Graham Potter, particularly with Christopher Nkunku on his way to Stamford Bridge.
Inter might still be ready to sign Lukaku permanently, or else there should be other suitors out there too, so this is an opportunity for Chelsea to make some decent money after so much recent spending.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Signed as something of a stop-gap last summer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hasn’t even really been a very successful short-term option for the Blues.
The Gabon international has scored just three goals in 17 games so far, and only one in 11 Premier League matches, so there seems little reason to keep him for any longer.
It remains to be seen if anyone will pay up for Aubameyang or if Chelsea might just have to terminate his contract and allow him to leave for free, which would at least free up space on the wage bill.
Kai Havertz
It’s surely just not going to happen for Kai Havertz at Chelsea, with the Germany international still not looking anything like the player who lit up the Bundesliga when he was at Bayer Leverkusen.
CFC fans will be bitterly disappointed this couldn’t work out, but it might now be a good idea to sell Havertz rather than wait any longer for his value to fall further.
Still only 23 years of age, Havertz could yet turn his career around, so there’ll surely be a few clubs out there ready to take a gamble on him and take him off Chelsea’s hands.
Christian Pulisic
Another player who looked so promising in a youngster in Germany earlier in his career, Christian Pulisic makes sense as another to be shown the door at the end of the season.
The USA international has had his moments in a Chelsea shirt, but he’s not been consistent enough and the signings of the likes of Nkunku, Mudryk and Madueke surely mean he’s going to find it even harder to get regular minutes.
Pulisic looked like he might leave this January, but an injury put paid to that, so let’s see if he can turn things around in the next few months or else he’s surely on his way out in the summer.
Hakim Ziyech
PSG were apparently furious to miss out on Hakim Ziyech, but the fact is he’s still at Chelsea for a few months more.
The Morocco international hasn’t lived up to expectations in his time at Stamford Bridge, and, like Pulisic, surely now just faces more competition for his place from some of the recent new signings.
It remains to be seen if PSG go back in for Ziyech, but there’ll surely be other clubs out there who’d be tempted to try their luck with him, provided the price was right.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Currently out on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, Callum Hudson-Odoi’s career certainly hasn’t panned out as many will have expected.
The England international initially looked a huge talent when he broke into the Chelsea first-team, but he’s now on the fringes and hasn’t done a huge amount to impress whilst at Leverkusen this season either.
It surely now makes sense for all involved if Hudson-Odoi makes a permanent move away from Chelsea this summer.
Kalidou Koulibaly
Although he only joined this season, Kalidou Koulibaly hasn’t looked very impressive in a Chelsea shirt, and might be worth moving on.
The Senegal international was world class for much of his Napoli career, but for one reason or another it just hasn’t happened for him in English football.
With Benoit Badiashile coming in this January, that’s surely a sign that CFC are also not entirely convinced by Koulibaly as a reliable option, so this might be one to send packing quickly.
Cesar Azpilicueta
A long-serving club legend, Cesar Azpilicueta just doesn’t quite look to be at the required standard anymore, so it might be worth bidding farewell at the end of this season.
The Spaniard deserves a great send-off from Chelsea fans, but with Reece James and the incoming Malo Gusto now options at right-back, there doesn’t seem much of a role for him left in Potter’s squad.
Armando Broja
A young striker with big potential, Armando Broja has been unlucky with the injury he picked up this season, but the host of new signings in attack don’t bode well for him.
Chelsea might be prepared to give Broja a bit more time, but don’t be too surprised if they also end up deciding that he’s enough of a promising young talent that they could be better off taking the money from his sale.
Ben Chilwell
Another Chelsea player who has his qualities but who has just been too unlucky with injuries, Ben Chilwell might be one the Blues would do well to consider offloading this summer.
Manchester City might be ready to take the former Leicester man off Chelsea’s hands, as the Times link them with an interest in him as a potential replacement for Joao Cancelo if he makes his move to Bayern Munich permanent.
Ethan Ampadu
Once a top prospect at Chelsea, Ethan Ampadu has now been loaned out numerous times and it’s getting harder and harder to see a long-term future for him at Stamford Bridge.
If offers come in, Chelsea surely need to let Ampadu go and take the opportunity to make a bit of extra cash to balance the books.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Another homegrown talent who looked destined for big things, Ruben Loftus-Cheek just hasn’t really delivered, and it may be time to move him on.
The England international has it in him to do a job for most Premier League clubs, so there shouldn’t be a shortage of offers in the summer that could represent decent business for Chelsea.