There are just 17 days until Chelsea kick off their Premier League campaign. 24 days until the Summer transfer window officially closes. Yet Chelsea currently have a senior squad that consists of 41 players.
The Premier League does have rules in place on squad sizes, but none that practically apply to Chelsea due to the amount of youth amongst the squad. But this is much more than just a practical issue for The Blues.
After a poor finish to last season, Chelsea have no European football and will therefore play just the one league game a week. Fewer games mean fewer players needed and fewer opportunities for rotation.
Managing an oversized squad is like teaching an overcrowded class. Xabi Alonso can not implement his ideas as effectively, while the players also become frustrated with the lack of individual feedback and development.
Embed from Getty Images41 players is ludicrous, and if Chelsea are any hope of having a successful season, the outgoings must start flowing.
Chelsea have already been active in the sellers’ market this window, with official departures of Alejandro Garnacho, Andrey Santos, Marc Cucurella, and Tyrique George. Meanwhile, Filip Jorgensen and Trevoh Chalobah have also found suitors for their exits, soon to be official.
But this is not nearly enough, so who else needs to leave?
Let’s start with the obvious ones that we have not seen included in any preseason preparations. Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, and Marc Guiu have all been excluded from the first team and won’t be playing in a Chelsea jersey this season.
Sanchez and Penders will battle it out for the spot between the sticks, so Gaga Slonina may look for an exit, whether on loan or permanently.
Embed from Getty ImagesWith the big additions of Marco Palestra and Maxence Lacroix this window, as well as the soon-to-be-announced Pep Chavarría, Chelsea definitely have an overload of numbers defensively.
Chalobah has already found a suitor in Como, while Chelsea will be working overtime to try to land deals for Disasi and Badiashile. I don’t think it should or will stop there.
Tosin Adarabioyo looks to be a part of Alonso’s plans at this stage, getting plenty of minutes in preseason. From what I have seen, he has looked stiff and slow in defence, and even his passing strength has not been evident. Sell.
Wesley Fofana is another one who could potentially be on the move. Although he shows flashes with good challenges, he still lacks in positional play and general defensive IQ. Unfortunately, he is on massive wages so may struggle to find a move, but nonetheless another potential departure.
Embed from Getty ImagesMalo Gusto is another one that has been in plenty of transfer rumours. With Palestra and James, he is probably third in the pecking order at right back, and for the right price Chelsea should definitley be cashing him in.
This leaves Aaron Anselmino, Josh Acheampong and Mamadou Sarr as the fringe players yet to be discussed. I think at least one, if not two, of these guys will be sold or go out on loan this season.
Anselmino has looked great this preseason and is more than capable of slotting in at left back in a back 4. Acheampong has always been a favourite of mine, and despite not showing much this preseason, I remain confident he can become a serious player for Chelsea one day with his elite physical attributes. Personally, that leaves Sarr as the odd one out. In saying that, maybe a loan to another Premier League club could do Acheampong’s development a world of good. Similar to what we saw with Levi Colwill.
Moving on to the midfield, which, to no surprise, is also an extremely overcrowded group. At this stage, it can be assumed Enzo Fernandez is staying, and if he does leave, I believe Chelsea will sign a big-name midfielder to replace him anyway.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe emergence of 16-year-old academy midfielder Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli has been a revelation this preseason, with the youngster playing so well you could see him as a depth option in the senior team this year.
With Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson also being brought in, it feels as though one of Dario Essugo or Romeo Lavia may be going out on loan. Both have had their respective fitness problems; Lavia’s is the much worse of the two. IF Lavia can stay healthy, I still have a ton of faith in his talent, but that almost seems like an impossibility.
Without much other strong midfield depth, could loaning out the more injury-prone Lavia be the right move? Despite the fact that I would argue he is the more talented of the two.
Moving on to the forwards, where the main excess lies. Starting with strikers, who Chelsea currently have SIX of. Six players for one spot in the team that is already owned by Joao Pedro, yeah, that makes lots of sense.
We know Marc Guiu is on his way out, but others are going to have to join him. Top of the priority departures list has to be Liam Delap, who continues to underwhelm every time he puts on the Chelsea jersey. Outside of that, it gets a bit tricky.
Embed from Getty ImagesDanny Welbeck has been brought in as an experienced backup to Pedro, leaving Nicholas Jackson and Emmanuel Emegha potentially on the departures list. We are yet to see Emegha in a Chelsea jersey after his move from Strasbourg, as he deals with a reported hamstring issue. Despite his young career, Emegha has already dealt with plenty of soft tissue injuries, which is quite worrying.
Still, I think Jackson is the more likely one to depart. Although I wouldn’t love seeing Nico go, for the right price I think it has to be done.
Finally, wingers. With the marquee signing of Morgan Rogers, the youth additions of Geovany Quenda and Dastan Satpayev, as well as the revival of Mykhailo Mudryk, numbers are plenty.
Pedro Neto has had his fair share of transfer rumours this summer, and one that I could definitely see leaving Chelsea before the season starts. If Neto stayed, I think he would definitely have a role to play in the squad as a rotation winger, although I wouldn’t expect many minutes. Therefore, once again, for the right price I think he is a sell.
Embed from Getty ImagesJamie Gittens has been one of the standouts of preseason so far, looking very dynamic with the ball at his feet out on the left, and I expect him to stay. Quenda is another exciting wing prospect who I expect Chelsea to keep and use as an impact substitute with Estevao on the right, maybe.
For me, it would be silly for Mudryk to not go out on loan. After being out of football for 20 months, we can’t expect him to hit the ground running. In his young career, he has never started more than 18 games in a season. I think Mudryk still has untapped potential, but development requires game time, and I can’t see him getting many minutes at Chelsea at all this season.
Another one in a similar boat is Satpayev. The kid has been so exciting to watch this season, and the future looks bright. But once again, he won’t get the minutes he needs to develop at Chelsea this season, so a loan spell might be best for both parties.
The clock is ticking for Chelsea Football Club to trim this ridiculously large squad down before the season begins. Moves are going to have to be made, and made quickly.
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