Chelsea were supposed to be hacking away their deadwood this summer, but so far things have not gone to plan.
The list of names expected to depart Chelsea this summer is endless, but as the summer transfer window officially opens, there has been little to no indication that any of their hoard of unwanted players is heading for the exit. Meanwhile, players who had been widely considered to be part of the club's long-term plans under incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino suddenly appear to be near-certainties to move on.
Speculation has been rife about the futures of N'Golo Kante, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic in recent weeks – the majority of whom can be core members of the Chelsea squad when fully fit and available, and they generally all command the respect and affection of the fanbase.
But how has it come to this, and what comes next for Chelsea? GOAL assesses the situation below…
(C)GettyImagesKey players heading for the exit
It seems as though Chelsea's clear-out is going to be a lot more thorough than many would have predicted, with the club potentially facing a complete reset under Pochettino. At this stage, it is unclear whether these decisions are his or the hierarchy's, but it is very ruthless.
Despite being key players at Stamford Bridge in recent years, Kante, Mount and Kovacic all look highly likely to move on, while Havertz's future hangs in the balance; Kante's head has been turned by a mega-money offer from Saudi Arabia, Kovacic is on the verge of joining Manchester City having agreed terms with the Blues' Premier League rivals, Mount is being courted by Manchester United with a bid pending, while Havertz has been linked with a move to Real Madrid, although their interest is said to have cooled.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTime is right to part with Kante and Kovacic
Kovacic was always earmarked for a summer transfer as his contract is due to expire in 12 months' time, with the Blues keen to cash in on those who fall into that bracket while they still can. Although he has been a loyal servant who has shown his ability in flashes, Kovacic has often flattered to deceive and has been the embodiment of the club's period of transition during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Kante's potential exit comes as more of a surprise, given his status as arguably the best defensive midfielder around, and indeed of all time. However, his age and worsening injury record suggests Chelsea may be best off parting ways with the 32-year-old when his contract expires at the end of June. Despite earning close to £300,000 per week, the Frenchman made just nine appearances throughout 2022-23.
Letting go of Mount and Havertz is more questionable, although Chelsea's failure to renew the former's contract sooner means they are in a very weak negotiating position, with the player happy to move on if his lofty wage demands aren't met. Havertz, meanwhile, has been a disappointment despite shining in big moments and largely being played out of position, and the imminent arrival of Christopher Nkunku means he may be deemed surplus to requirements.
Getty ImagesNo news on the real deadwood
Alarmingly, there has been very little speculation surrounding the also-rans throughout the squad who were expected to be shifted this summer, with the number of outgoing players potentially reaching double figures as Chelsea look to trim the wage bill and fall in line with UEFA's Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been touted for moves to Saudi Arabia alongside pretty much every other big name, while Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been loosely linked with AC Milan – but nothing seems to be at an advanced stage as pre-season approaches.
There has also been little to no news on those younger players who are likely to head out on loan, or the club's returning loan players who clearly do not have a future at Stamford Bridge.
Of course, it is early days with the transfer window having only just creaked open, but as it stands, Pochettino will be arriving to the very same bloated, 31-strong squad that proved so problematic for his predecessors Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. Chelsea's transfer negotiators, co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, need to get to work – and fast. Depending on what's going on behind the scenes, things could start to move very quickly.
GettyThe clock is already ticking
The lack of movement in terms of outgoings could be particularly problematic because of an upcoming 'deadline' for domestic sales. If Chelsea want to include any more player sales in their accounts for 2022-23, they will need to have them signed off by June 30, per .
Despite splurging more than £600 million ($760m) across last summer and January on a host of new players, the Blues only sold the likes of Timo Werner, Emerson Palmieri, Jorginho and Billy Gilmour within the same time period for less than £60m ($76m) in total. Therefore, a failure to shift anyone else before the end of June could prove very costly in terms of FFP regulations and Premier League profit and sustainability rules.
The window doesn't open for most other European leagues until the start of July, so if Chelsea want to offset potentially huge losses following their massive outlay in 2022-23 by selling within England, they really need to get things moving.