Chelsea look set to put on a transfer deadline week fire sale with 15 to 20 players not in first team training.
Enzo Maresca was quick to put an end to the jokes around his training session involving 40 players after Chelsea made another 10 new signings this summer.
That included Joao Felix, who scored in the Blues’ 6-2 win over Wolves on Sunday.
“The other 15 to 20 are training apart,” Maresca said. “I don’t see them. It is not a mess that it looks like from outside.”
Meanwhile, the Blues are still in the pursuit of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.
And talkSPORT understands Chelsea have been asked to be kept informed on Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho’s situation, too.
The Blues sold homegrown midfielder Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid last week, with the England international making his debut on Sunday. Ian Maatsen was also sold to Aston Villa for £37.5m.
But Chelsea have as many as 14 players they still need to offload before the end of August 30.
So, who is apart of what fans are calling Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ that the Blues need to re-home before the deadline?
As it stands, Romelu Lukaku, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling, Trevoh Chalobah, Djordje Petrovic, Carney Chukwuemeka, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Angelo Gabriel, Deivid Washington, Alex Matos, Harvey Vale and Lukas Bergstrom all need new clubs.
Striker Lukaku hasn’t played for Chelsea since 2022, but has remained on the Blues’ books after loan spells with Inter Milan then Roma.
The Belgian is expected to return to Serie A again, but on a permanent basis this time, and has agreed a deal with Napoli worth £30million that is pending confirmation at the time of writing.
Last week talkSPORT reported goalkeeper Arrizabalaga, who was on loan with Real Madrid last term, is on Bournemouth’s radar for a loan move.
The wheels are in motion for that deal according to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, with Kepa expected to travel to Bournemouth for a medical on Monday.
Outcasts Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling are being linked with Manchester United, and talkSPORT understands the former has been offered to the Red Devils.
Another homegrown product, defender Trevoh Chalobah, has been left out of Maresca’s squad so far.
He was even stripped of his squad number too as the club look to force a move and receive pure profit for the Blues man.
Chelsea accepted £25million from Nottingham Forest last summer, only for the player to turn down the move.
Chelsea’s co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley have a big job on their hands to stop the club having a whole unused second squad of players on the wage bill.
Armando Broja’s potential loan move to Ipswich Town is at risk of breaking down due to an injury picked up on his medical.
And stars being in the shop window for most of the summer with minimal interest shows that not many sides are willing to play ball this summer – particularly with players given such big wages at Chelsea.
Sterling, for example, earns upwards of £300,000 a week.
Chelsea’s ‘Bomb Squad’
- Romelu Lukaku
- Kepa Arrizabalaga
- Ben Chilwell
- Raheem Sterling
- Trevoh Chalobah
- Djordje Petrovic
- Carney Chukwuemeka
- David Datro Fofana
- Armando Broja
- Angelo Gabriel
- Deivid Washington
- Alex Matos
- Harvey Vale
- Lukas Bergstrom
Two years into a five-year contract signed when he joined in a £47.5million deal from Manchester City, the 29-year-old has a remaining book value of an eye-watering £28.5million.
Chelsea face Servette in the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off clash on Thursday.
JOIN THE DUGOUT
Have your say on all things talkSPORT by joining ‘The DUGOUT’ – our new listener panel.
We’re all about diving deep into your perspectives, and making sure talkSPORT is the absolute best it can be. Your voice matters, and we want to hear it!
Pitch your game-changing ideas, and join in with fun surveys, polls, and locker-room discussions.
Just by joining, you’ll enter a prize draw to win one of four £50 Amazon vouchers, with another prize draw entry for every survey you complete after that
To join the ‘The DUGOUT’ panel, please click here.