CHELSEA could be forced into selling an entire XI of star players this summer in order to fund a world class striker.
The Blues’ desperation for a No 9 has left the club needing to flog players in order to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Manager Enzo Maresca is prepared to shift as many as 11 players to get a new No 9
Ben Chilwell could be one player leaving Stamford Bridge on a permanent basisPA
With £1.2billion spent under Todd Boehly since 2022, Enzo Maresca essentially has two separate squads and more players than he can count.
But so far Chelsea have avoided Financial Fair Play punishments due to their ability to sell players – such as £60million-plus deals for Mason Mount to Manchester United and Kai Havertz to Arsenal – amounting to decent net sales.
And this summer, they have no shortage of options for potential profitable exits – so many that you could practically make an XI out of a sellable list.
It’s hard to keep up with who is on the books at Chelsea, with eight of the XI currently out on loan, but SunSport runs the rule over those who could make way.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Kepa Arrizabalaga joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao for £72m in 2018.
The Spaniard, who is currently on loan at Bournemouth, remains the most expensive keeper of all time.
The 30-year-old is reportedly keen to join the Cherries on a permanent basis after starting 22 Prem games this season.
But after spending last term on loan with Real Madrid, Kepa will surely have many other suitors, too.
Kepa Arrizabalaga is reportedly keen to join Bournemouth on a permanent basis
Alfie Gilchrist
Chelsea loanee Gilchrist has started 26 of Sheffield United’s 30 Championship games this season.
Home-grown talent and an English defender aged 21 is a good combination for getting a decent fee.
With Chris Wilder’s side pushing for immediate promotion back to the Prem, the club could move to make Gilchrist’s deal permanent.
Alfie Gilchrist has started 26 of Sheffield United’s 30 Championship games this season.
Join SUN CLUB for the Chelsea Files every Tuesday plus
in-depth coverage and exclusives from Stamford Bridge
Trevor Chalobah
Fellow Cobham star Chalobah, who joined Chelsea at the age of eight, is said to be seen as “expandable” by the club heading into the summer.
Academy graduates represent “pure profit” when it comes to PSR and any sales would go a long way to helping Chelsea get some money in the bank to spend on new arrivals.
Chalobah likely had hopes of saving his Blues career when the club recalled him from his loan at Crystal Palace as Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill were out with suspected long-term injures.
Axel Disasi
Chelsea are planning to sell Disasi after sending the Frenchman out on loan to Aston Villa in January.
A move to the Birmingham-based club could be an option for the Frenchman should he impress in the remainder of the season.
Ben Chilwell
Chilwell set Chelsea back a whopping £50m when he arrived from Leicester in 2020 but fitness issues have made him a liability.
Maresca said the left-back is “free to leave” when he loaned him to Crystal Palace for the remainder of the season in January.
Chilwell, who earns around £200,000-per-week, was widely criticised by a section of the fanbase last season.
Alamy
Renato Veiga
Veiga, 21, joined Chelsea from Basel for £11.8m in the summer but was loaned to Juventus at the turn of the year.
The Italian side have agreed to cover the Portugal international’s wages and pay a £3.8m loan fee, with no option to buy included in the deal.
Veiga has also been linked with Borussia Dortmund as he looks for more minutes to stay in the Portugal squad.
Carney Chukwuemeka
The 21-year-old joined Dortmund on loan, with an option to buy, from Chelsea in February and has enjoyed a great start there.
The Bundesliga giants would be keen on keeping Chukwuemeka for another loan after this one comes to an end, although this would rely on them qualifying for Europe.
Raheem Sterling
Sterling has endured a nightmare stint at Stamford Bridge since signing for £47.5m from Manchester City on a five-year deal in 2022.
The 82-time England international joined Arsenal for a season-long loan last summer, with Maresca explaining that he wouldn’t play a minute under his management.
With four Prem starts in 29 games this season, Arsenal won’t move to sign Sterling on a permanent deal.
Bookies have West Ham and Fenerbahce as the front-runners to take him if he was to leave Chelsea.
Joao Felix
Felix’s £113 million transfer from Benfica to Atletico Madrid in 2019 made him the fifth most expensive football transfer of all time.
After a topsy-turvy few years Diego Simeone, Felix joined Chelsea on a brief loan in 2023, before he spent a campaign with Barcelona.
His £42.7m sale to Chelsea last summer saw the LaLiga side ultimately accept a devastating financial loss.
But within six months of his deal which runs until 2031, Maresca sent him on loan to AC Milan – which has been another nightmare.
Felix, 25, has been slammed by some sections of the Italian press after a string of underwhelming performances since January.
Joao Felix was shipped out on loan to AC Milan in January
David Datro Fofana
Fofana’s 18 months at Chelsea have seen him feature just four times for the club, while he bags around £30,000 a week.
The 22-year-old was recalled from his loan spell with Super Lig side Goztepe after major knee injury left him unable to play until next season.
Previous loans at Union Berlin and Burnley previously conjured up just six goals in 32 appearances.
Now Chelsea could cut their losses on the £13m man and ensure he is off their wage bill.
Armando Broja
Chelsea were willing to sell striker Broja last August, before he joined Everton on a season-long loan on deadline day.
But bidders might be put off by the Albania international’s ongoing injury problems.
The 23-year-old was sidelined for the opening months of the season at Everton as he continued to recover from an Achilles injury, which had scuppered a transfer to Ipswich.
Broja was then available for selection for FIVE games before being stretchered off with oxygen during Everton’s FA Cup win over Peterborough.
Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
