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It is all change at Chelsea this summer under their new ownership, and several players will be glancing nervously over their shoulder until the market closes.
Thomas Tuchel is set to be backed heavily by Todd Boehly, shown by Romelu Lukaku – an eyebrow-raising arrival for around £100million just last summer – being shown the exit door. He will not be the only one to leave, either, with the exodus underway.
Indeed, next season, the Blues will surely boast an array of new names from the front to the back of their team. It emerged on Monday that Chelsea are considering a move for Cristiano Ronaldo amid his uncertain future at Manchester United.
Last week, they also gatecrashed Arsenal’s bid to sign Raphinha from Leeds with a £60million offer, but the Brazilian is still holding out for Barcelona.
The Blues also want Raheem Sterling, with discussions with Manchester City over a £55m switch continuing. This new-look strikeforce has the potential to be deadly, but for this to happen, some current stars must be sold.
Among those at risk of the chop are Timo Werner and Christian Pulisic, so here, Sportsmail takes a closer look at the players who futures in the capital are in doubt…
Thomas Tuchel is set to be backed heavily at Chelsea this summer, with several stars to leave
The Blues are continuing talks over a £55m move for Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling
TIMO WERNER
It just hasn’t worked out for Timo Werner at Chelsea, and there have been active attempts this summer to move him on. As Sportsmail has revealed in recent weeks, the Blues touted a potential swap deal for Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt.
That specific transaction looks unlikely as it stands, but the efforts to shift him speak volumes. Last season, he impressed in fits and starts, but clearly has not done enough to convince Tuchel and Boehly that he is deserving of a second chance.
He made 37 appearances in the last campaign, with 24 of those starts. A grand total of 2,317 minutes played resulted in 11 goals and eight assists. These tallies are far from nightmare material, but they are below the levels his club will be demanding.
Currently, there does not appear to be a lengthy queue of potential suitors for Werner, so it may well be that it is a shift over to Turin or bust for the misfiring ace.
Timo Werner has failed to impress since arriving at the club, and is now on the chopping block
HAKIM ZIYECH
Chelsea have been in talks with AC Milan over playmaker Hakim Ziyech, with the former Moroccan international set to be the next to make space for new signings.
Milan, it is understood, have held a long-term interest in Ziyech, and Tuchel is open to the sale if the clubs can agree on a fee. The star may also have to take a pay cut.
Reports in Italy claimed that the player has even handed in a transfer request.
He moved to Stamford Bridge in 2020 under the stewardship of Frank Lampard, now the Everton manager, but just two years into his five-year contract, Ziyech has grown unhappy about his lack of minutes and has now set his sights elsewhere.
The Blues invested heavily to recruit Ziyech from Ajax, handing him a long-term contract and pitching him as an exciting addition that would help their exciting project. But while he hasn’t wholly disappointed, a parting of the ways is inevitable.
He has scored 14 goals in 83 matches, but his below-par numbers may be a result of his limited game time. He came off the bench in the league 13 times last year.
Hakim Ziyech looks set to leave for AC Milan in the window due to frustration over game time
CALLUM HUDSON-ODOI
Last season was incredibly frustrating for Callum Hudson-Odoi. He has not featured for Chelsea in March 2, when the side edged past Luton Town in an FA Cup tie, and even on that occasion played just 62 minutes. His career is in need of a shake-up.
In pre-season, it appears he is doing everything he can to make that happen. He is being put through his paces in ‘brutal’ training sessions, according to reports, as he attempts to return to full fitness before the Blues’ calendar kicks into full swing.
However, it is unclear if he will still be at the club come the start of the season.
His role has lessened under Tuchel, especially in his preferred position, and Hudson-Odoi could very well decide that now is the perfect time for a new challenge.
It is worth remembering that just two years ago, he saw a transfer to Bayern Munich blocked, and then went on to sign a new contract to stay at Chelsea. This level of interest does not just fade away, so expect there to be several clubs hovering.
Callum Hudson-Odoi endured an injury-ravaged season, and is another who may be offloaded
CHRISTIAN PULISIC
As Sportsmail has revealed, talks between Chelsea and Juventus have resumed over a potential swap deal involving Christian Pulisic plus cash for Matthijs De Ligt.
In recent days, it has emerged that the Old Lady would prioritise a deal for the winger ahead of his Blues team-mate Werner, despite him also being discussed.
AC Milan have also been monitoring the situation of the forward, who has grown frustrated by his lack of starts under Tuchel. The Italian sides were initially waiting to see if Chelsea would be open to a sale, and that does not appear to be the case.
Pulisic arrived at Stamford Bridge for £58million in 2019, but neither Juventus nor AC Milan would be able to matching the fee, and would instead look for a cut-price deal.
While away on international duty with the USA, he was able to address his future when speaking to reporters, and admitted that he wants ‘to get more playing time’.
‘I want to be on the field as much as I can and be the sharpest I can be and fit as well,’ he added, hinting towards his ambitions to take on a greater role next season.
Last season, his father, Mark, took aim at his son’s lack of minutes and described his situation as ‘sad’. It may be of interest for all sides, then, for Pulisic to move on.
Chelsea are in talks with Juventus over a deal for Matthijs de Ligt including Christian Pulisic
JORGINHO
A decision may also need to be made over the future of Jorginho this summer. He has been heavily linked with a move to Italy, and has just 12 months remaining on his deal. Having allowed it to tick down, could the midfielder be tempted to move on?
Various reports have claimed that Juventus sporting director Federico Cherubini has already flown in to London to begin talks with Chelsea over the Euro 2020 winner’s signature, with a ‘positive relationship’ with the player and his team formed.
So, there is plenty of talk around a potential exit, and the Blues may well see this window as the perfect time to allow him to head back to his homeland. This would also allow them to bring through starlets, whether homegrown or from abroad.
What is clear is that the former Ballon d’Or nominee is no longer considered untouchable. He is still a classy performer, but Tuchel and Boehly, in their attempts to breathe new life into their ranks at the club, are seemingly happy to offload him.
Jorginho, a former Ballon d’Or nominee, is reportedly keen to move back to Italy this summer
