All Activity

Even when he was fit he looked in way over his head. He was giving Mudryk vibes in that he looked unbelievable taking on players and beating them for fun at their previous clubs and then as soon as they stepped up to the PL they seemed terrified and couldn’t do anything.

Gittens was pretty much injured all season I don’t understand how any attacker in our system last year was supposed to be evaluated when everything we did last year was so disjointed. We have no wing play all season even Estevao who looked really good at the beginning of the season couldn’t get a look because we try to play everything through the middle. I feel like with Alonso style that gives more opportunities to some of the wingers to show more than they did all season.

Depending on the formation I think Gusto and Andrey Santos could play big roles in Alonso’s team as squad players but the rest definitely need to all go. Our problem of course will be that unless our owners/board are willing to rip the bandaid off and take massive losses just to give us a clean slate it’s going to be a massive pain in the ass to find buyers willing to spend close to what we paid for Garnacho, Gittens, etc. Garnacho is probably still a big enough “name” that he will likely be sought after by European clubs. Gittens though feels impossible to shift out unless it’s a loan since the price we paid for him was criminal AND because he showed nothing all season. Can see maybe some bottom half PL team taking him on loan and that’s probably his level.

Jorgenson, Malo Gusto, Tosin, Badiashile, Disasi, Andrey Santos, Garnacho, Gittens, Pedro Neto, Tyrique George, Jackson, Delap Take your pick. All of them can go in my book

At least we will need to sell one good player

Yeah, I will definitely say that it’s kind of awkward timing for Enzo to try to force his way to Madrid. They’ve got several top quality players in every position he plays in AND they will have a manager who always prioritizes physicality and energy over all else. I suppose in a much less physically demanding La Liga you could very well play him deeper in midfield unlike here in the PL so maybe that’s where he plays? Because in those advanced midfield positions where he has been playing for us they’ve got Bellingham and Velverde who are definite Mou players and Guler who is really developing well. If they move Camavinga and/or Tchouameni then he obviously has a place.

This is the Havertz-Jorginho and Madueke conversation from previous windows all over again. Makes no sense to sell one of our few good players and set ourselves back. Add Barco and keep Enzo. Find the money by selling the bomb squad and clearing out the average players that have piled up at the club.

Exactly. And he clearly wants off. Which he did the same thing with Benfica after all of 2 minutes there too after the WC. So fuck him. Quite frankly, for me, he won’t be missed that much. Yes the goals and assists he’s got this last 12-18 months have definitely made him look a good player and very important to the team but he’s effectively played as a 10/inside 8 off the left sometimes. Palmer had better stats and performances under Poch playing centrally. He was meant to be an all round midfielder, dictating games, getting round the pitch, whatever else like did at Benfica (well like he apparently did!). Time and time again he hasn’t shown this when playing as a 6 or 8. Would rather see Palmer more centrally in that role Enzo has been utilised in, might get him back to his best alongside this prolonged summer break he’ll get. For £106million to get 12-18 months of decent performances, I don’t see the uproar, we’ve lost a lot better calibre of players to Madrid in Robben, Hazard & Rudiger. Good luck to him also, Mourinho will undoubtedly prefer the likes of Valverde, Camavinga, Tchouameni & Bellingham due to their physical as well as technical attributes so wouldn’t be surprised if its a move that doesn’t necessarily work from the off. Jose hasn’t changed either he still values the physical qualities in his players.

I feel like the club hierarchy already have it clearly in their heads that they’re going to sell him and have since the moment he made the statements about loving Madrid and wanting to live there. The fact that they quickly made the very cheeky announcement that Caicedo has signed a new and improved deal was them sending a message. That Enzo’s agent has been talking about improved terms for months and still hasn’t gotten a sufficient offer says it all. They know they NEED some BIG sales this summer and will pick a couple of our biggest players to fund incomings. So they’ll pick Enzo and Cucu who yes, are two of our best players but are also at the same time the most “replaceable” in their eyes. All I’ll say is that you better let Xabi hand pick his Enzo replacement and don’t have the sporting directors force another “data led” signing on him. Even in our current situation I’d have to think getting a call from Xabi Alonso would be very persuasive to a young CM so I pray we aim very high.

Yes I'm the same boat, if the club is serious on turning things with Alonso we can't sell Enzo. He still has some years left so keep him. Sadly with Cucu I would like to keep him but I think he get less time so it's best to sell him.

Selling Enzo at this point just seems like a terrible idea. Both for what he offers on the pitch statistically but also because he seems like a really well beloved teammate around the squad. For the overall balance of the TEAM it may make sense to get a midfielder of a different profile. But I just don’t see how you replace his statistical production. You’ll see the obvious links with a couple of the Real Madrid midfielders coming the other way but one, why would Tchouameni come here in our current state and two, he doesn’t really offer any of the attacking threat Enzo does, right? Anyways, as long as he ONLY goes to Real Madrid I will eventually get over it. If we are stupid enough to even think about selling him to Maresca and watch him pull a KDB or Salah then that’s unforgivable.

Ok, bye. Reece and Caicedo should be the only untouchables, they are real pros on and off the pitch. Enzo is a good player but was never even close living up to his price tag. Every coach tried to find him a perfect position but neither 6, 8 or 10 seemed to be perfect for him. Selling him for good money and getting Barco as a stable partner for Moi sounds like great piece of business.

Güler would be much better than Tchou, who's been stuck in a rut for a long time. I don't want him here Huijsen gets injured way too often!!!

Next Source: 🔵🇦🇷 Real Madrid will make a move to sign Enzo Fernandez, with sources close to the situation saying there is a ‘very strong chance’ that Sunday’s clash with Sunderland is last game for Chelsea. (via @MiguelDelaney)

Wasn't Arda Guler one of Alonso's favorites, wonder what chance we'd have to get him.

💥🔵Simon Phillips reports: Enzo Fernandez Almost definitely off. His camp are adamant he will be leaving this summer. All it needs is to sort a deal for him to join another club, Real Madrid looking most likely at the moment but nothing set in stone there. If he does go to Real Madrid, expect Chelsea to ask for a player or two from them. A source mentioned Dean Huijsen to me just today, says Chelsea will try for him again. Aurelien Tchouameni could be another one to watch. I’ll have the full story and details out on Sunday but there’s more to this story than what meets the eye. 💣🗯Enzo and Cucurella are definitely leaving Chelsea this summer!!!!

This would be huge....from a defensive point of view!

Thiago Silva would be a great addition, blokes a born winner

🙌💣🔵According to ESPN Brasil journalist, Bruno Andrade, Chelsea have already made Thiago Silva an offer to become part of the club’s wider structure once he decides to retire. The plan would see Thiago Silva working as part of Chelsea’s general coaching staff.

Is Enzo Maresca the right head coach for Manchester City? We asked seven Athletic writers https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7291873/2026/05/20/enzo-maresca-manchester-city/ It must rank as one of the hardest jobs in football. Succeeding Pep Guardiola, arguably the greatest coach of his era, at Manchester City will be an onerous — perhaps impossible — task, but Enzo Maresca seems certain to accept it. We asked seven writers at The Athletic to debate whether it would be the right move for City and Maresca. Oliver Kay Enzo Maresca would be, without question, a gamble on Manchester City’s part. An educated gamble — given the identity and track record of those making the decision — but a gamble nonetheless. It was also a gamble when Chelsea appointed him in the summer of 2024 when he had been a head coach for just 18 months, with Parma in Italy’s second tier and Leicester City in England’s second tier. Did it pay off? To an extent, yes — he was certainly more successful than the club’s other coaching appointments under BlueCo’s ownership — but he only won 28 Premier League matches out of 57 (and only eight of 19 in season two). Even taking Chelsea’s dysfunction into account, it was a steady record rather than a spectacular one. If I were a City supporter, or indeed a City player, I would be concerned that any coach would be a downgrade on Pep Guardiola. Maresca might have some of the same ideas and coaching principles, but does he have the same energy, the same charisma, the same knowledge? Watching him at Chelsea, I never thought so. He struck me as a very good coach who was still finding his way. The guy he will be taking over from is a once-in-a-generation type. What You Should Read Next Inside Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea exit: Rotation disagreements, Man City talks and defender woe Enzo Maresca left Chelsea on New Year's Day but the seeds of his exit were sown many months before Adam Crafton It’s a tricky one to predict, given how unique the jobs are that Enzo Maresca previously took. At both Leicester and Chelsea, he achieved trophy-winning success, but he also endured periods in each role which called into question his tactics (particularly keeping possession for possession’s sake at times), as well as his ability to manage both up to the boardroom and the dressing room. However, it is notable to me that Leicester’s players appeared to sincerely miss him when he left upon promotion and a handful of Chelsea’s players also appear to have been grieving his exit in the second half of this season. I did see his best Chelsea performance, the demolition of PSG in the Club World Cup final, but performances such as these were a one-off rather than consistent. Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea demolished PSG in the Club World Cup finalAlex Grimm/Getty Images While I understand the sense of continuity (Maresca’s preferred playing style is similar to Guardiola’s and he has been in the City system), I also wonder how City’s players may respond to a coach who could easily be perceived as Pep-Lite. It’s also worth remembering that Guardiola’s own style has become more direct over the past 18 months, and Maresca may need to undergo his own evolution to maximise the talent pool now on City’s books. Dan Sheldon The new sporting understatement of the year is that replacing Pep Guardiola is going to be an incredibly tall order, maybe even impossible. He is undeniably the best manager of his generation and will leave a void that is going to be incredibly difficult for Manchester City to fill, no matter their faith in Enzo Maresca. There is every chance I may look daft come May 2027, but it is difficult to get excited about the anticipated appointment. Yes, Guardiola is leaving a squad packed full of talent that has age on its side, yet I have a nagging feeling that Maresca is not the right coach to take City forward. Even though Leicester City topped the Championship under Maresca in 2023-24, they limped over the line and you wouldn’t have found many supporters distraught over his exit a few weeks later. A Club World Cup success and messy exit later, the jury — in my view — remains out on just how good Maresca is. There is no doubt that City have done their due diligence and given this a lot of thought — plus, are any elite managers actually available? — but I am not optimistic that it is going to work. Cue me looking rather silly at the end of next season. Rob Tanner There is a sense of fate dictating that Enzo Maresca succeed Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Maresca worked as the under-21s coach at City under Guardiola and the two bonded over a shared vision of how the game should be played. Maresca then moved to Leicester City to realise his vision on a team that had just been relegated to the Championship. There were doubts whether it would work and whether the possession-based style would suit the players he had inherited. He was questioned at times by the fans, despite consistently getting results, but he was steadfast in his commitment and unwavering in his belief in his plan. The players loved it. They enjoyed the structure he gave them, the fact everything was based around possession rather than running. Above all, they enjoyed winning again. When he left for Chelsea after winning the Championship, Leicester’s decline gathered pace. Maresca celebrates winning the Championship with LeicesterNathan Stirk/Getty Images It is never easy to follow in the footsteps of a club’s greatest manager, but Maresca will not be daunted by the prospect. His self belief is iron-clad. He doesn’t like to be dictated to by senior management on football matters and he is not a corporate yes man, but City will know the character they are bringing in. He can be sensitive to media criticism at times so will have to toughen his skin, but the appointment of Maresca does make sense as it should be a less daunting transition from Guardiola than would otherwise be the case with another manager. Greg O’Keeffe It will be interesting to see whether Enzo Maresca has reflected on why it did not work out for him at Chelsea. Because as much as there was sympathy for him over the circumstances he had to operate under — with suggestions of pressure over his selections, constant scrutiny from exec level and clashes with the medical department — there’s also a feeling he didn’t help himself. Did he really need his ego buffered by public backing from the owners? Why did he talk to City about replacing Guardiola while already in a job? Could he have handled the media better? The answer to all these questions, and the extent to which he has learned and grown, will influence his ability to thrive in an even more challenging role: filling the biggest shoes in club football. It will be hard to know whether the Italian is the right man to replace the irreplaceable until at least May 2027, but Maresca clearly ticks many boxes for those charged with planning for City’s next epoch, and his ability to unite a group of players and win trophies is proven (to an extent). There may well be bigger names to which City could turn but Maresca’s time at the Etihad, his ‘feel’ for the club from that previous spell as a first-team coach and perhaps Guardiola’s blessing, is a significant step towards hopes of a smooth transition. Cerys Jones Sometimes the best solution is the most obvious one. The most important criteria for succeeding Manchester City’s most successful manager is being able to emulate him as closely as possible. Maresca, who is a student of Guardiola’s style of play and worked under him at the Etihad during their treble-winning season, clearly fits that bill. City’s hierarchy know exactly who they are getting. The fact that they are physically similar and share a tactical profile does not make it a like-for-like swap. Guardiola earned his stature through his playing career, and the fact he successfully implemented his methods at Barcelona and Bayern Munich before City. Maresca’s promotion with Leicester and the Club World Cup and Conference League wins with Chelsea will not command quite the same respect. However, it has become clear that his relative lack of experience did not stop him winning over Chelsea’s dressing room. City’s, which is generally more stable in any case, ought to be an easier task — and a character reference from their former boss ought to help bring the players on board. A fundamental difference from his Chelsea days will be that Maresca will not be able to defend any missteps by pointing to what he deems faulty recommendations from others at the club, or the machinery around him not being up to scratch. If he cannot guide a group of players that is a well-oiled winning machine, primed to his football ideas, to trophies, it is hard for the blame to fall anywhere but on him. Seb Stafford-Bloor I don’t envy him. To succeed Pep Guardiola is to be compared with him in every way and it’s difficult to see how Enzo Maresca will ever be flattered by that. There are many conclusions to draw from Guardiola’s decade at City, but among them is that he normalised success and made it routine and long ago set that as the club’s standard. Arguably, that makes the City job — on a performance evaluation basis at least — harder than any other in Europe today. Judging Maresca’s coaching credentials is also difficult, because Chelsea was a curious context within which it was never clear who was responsible for what. In fact, one of the arguments that led to his downfall seemed to be regarding how credit was apportioned for the Club World Cup success last summer. On the one hand, Maresca wrangled talent effectively under difficult circumstances. On the other, he was politically clumsy towards the end and allowed his own capital to dissipate remarkably quickly. Can anyone confidently predict what will happen next? Oliver Kay|Football Writer Adam Crafton|Football Writer Dan Sheldon|Football Writer Sebastian Stafford-Bloor Rob Tanner|Leicester City Correspondent Greg O'Keeffe|Senior Writer Cerys Jones|Football Writer

Xabi Alonso to bring four ex-Real Madrid coaches to Chelsea, Calum McFarlane set to stay https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7287865/2026/05/18/xabi-alonso-Chelsea-coaches/ Xabi Alonso’s long-term assistant coach Sebastian Parrilla is one of four members of his Real Madrid backroom staff who are set to join him at Chelsea. Assistants Alberto Encinas and Benat Labaien, plus fitness coach Ismael Camenforte Lopez are also expected to move to Stamford Bridge with Alonso. Interim head coach Calum McFarlane is set to remain at the club and be part of the new manager’s backroom staff. Chelsea set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva and goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts are both also expected to stay on under Alonso. Alonso gave the Madrid backroom staff an extensive refresh upon his appointment last summer and there remains a possibility that he could bring more coaches to Chelsea. The 44-year-old was appointed Chelsea manager on Sunday on a four-year deal. The job marks his return to management after being sacked by Madrid in January. All four coaches departed Madrid alongside Alonso at the beginning of the year. The former midfielder has worked with Parrilla since the beginning of his coaching career, dating back to the pair taking charge of Madrid’s under-14s in 2018. Parrilla had spent two decades working in Madrid’s academy, before joining Alonso at Real Sociedad’s B team in 2019, and then Bayer Leverkusen, where they guided the club to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 after going the entire domestic campaign unbeaten. The Athletic reported in June that Alonso relies on Parrilla in particular for defensive work and set-pieces. Encinas is a former coach at Barcelona’s La Masia academy, who first worked with Alonso during his successful spell at Leverkusen before he brought him to Madrid. Labaien joined Alonso at Madrid, returning to the club where he worked in the youth set-up between 2011 and 2014. A video analyst and assistant coach, he has also had spells at Atletico Madrid, Leeds United, Real Sociedad, Al Wakrah and Real Zaragoza, in addition to a stint in charge of Japanese side Tokushima Vortis in 2023. What You Should Read Next Alonso choosing Chelsea is a leap of faith – and a coup for the club who must make it work From Real Madrid to Chelsea is a bold move from Alonso - but being given the title of manager means he should have more power Camenforte Lopez first worked with Alonso at Leverkusen, before joining him at Madrid as the club’s head of fitness preparation. His focus was on the style of play of Alonso’s teams, planning players’ loads and on-pitch work. He previously spent eight years at La Masia, followed by spells at New York City and Denmark’s national team. McFarlane moved to Chelsea from Southampton in the summer of 2025 as Under-21 coach, and has had two spells in interim charge this season following the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. The 40-year-old confirmed on Monday that Alonso has been in touch with him since Chelsea officially announced he is the club’s next permanent manager on Sunday morning. “I haven’t spoken to him, but I’ve had a brief conversation with him via text yesterday,” he said in a press conference. “I’ll keep that private, but (it was) mainly just around the final.” Alonso will not officially start work until July 1, but McFarlane has revealed the players have reacted very positively to the news. When asked if he has noticed the players are excited about Alonso coming in, he replied: “Yes, everyone has been excited. He’s had a really good career so far. Won major trophies, a great playing career. He will have a lot of respect from everyone. “He is a great coach, with a massive pedigree. We are all looking forward to working with him.” Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and midfielder Romeo Lavia is a doubt after picking up a minor injury in training last week which caused him to be left out of Saturday’s FA Cup Final. Mario Cortegana|Football Writer, Real Madrid Simon Johnson|Chelsea Correspondent

Chelsea squad audit: Time to cash in on Enzo Fernandez? What next for Liam Delap? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7294593/2026/05/21/Chelsea-squad-audit-fernandez-delap/ Part of the rationale for Xabi Alonso’s appointment at Chelsea is that his style of play does not require a full squad overhaul — but that does not mean it will be a quiet summer. They are not in the same position as last summer, with a ‘bomb squad’ of unwanted players to clear out, but not everyone on their books can expect meaningful minutes next year. There are 29 senior players listed in the first-team squad on the club website, plus several who are on loan or have signed pre-agreements to join this summer. Nobody is out of contract, so any exits are dependent on finding an interested party. So who is best placed for a significant role under Alonso, and who might be better served by a loan or permanent exit? The Athletic looks at the options in each position. Goalkeepers After opting against pursuing a deal for Mike Maignan last summer, Chelsea have stuck with Robert Sanchez as No 1 — bar a brief spell where Filip Jorgensen usurped him in March. Sanchez has not been immune to errors, but his shot-stopping has been key to Chelsea and Liam Rosenior’s exit relieves some of the questions about his ability on the ball. At a time when the team needs stability, keeping him as first-choice goalkeeper feels a less risky option than going into the market. Mike Penders’ impending arrival after his loan at Strasbourg has implications for the rest of the goalkeeping department. If Chelsea want the 20-year-old to begin integrating into the squad as Sanchez’s deputy, it might be wiser for Jorgensen — who had a horrible moment against PSG, but has overall improved across the season — to move on. Teddy Sharman-Lowe, who gained experience on loan at Bolton Wanderers in the first half of the season, would appear to be next in the pecking order ahead of Gaga Slonina. Keep: Sanchez, Penders, Sharman-Lowe Sell: Jorgensen Loan: Slonina Centre-backs Having a fully fit Levi Colwill after he missed the vast majority of the season through an anterior cruciate ligament injury will be as good as a new signing. Colwill will be the linchpin at centre-back — the question is how many potential partners and deputies he needs. Chelsea are due to have nine centre-backs, not including the possibility of any new signings, so this is an obvious department for a clear-out. Trevoh Chalobah, having made an impressive recovery from the bomb squad to start 31 Premier League games this season, has surely secured his future. Tosin Adarabioyo seems valued as a leadership figure, though he can probably expect even fewer minutes with Colwill back. Chelsea will surely want to keep academy graduate Josh Acheampong, who is popular with fans and will want a greater role next season. Leiv Colwill will be crucial to Alonso’s defenceClive Rose/Getty Images Mamadou Sarr, 20, and Aaron Anselmino, 21, both spent much of this season developing on loan (in Sarr’s case, this was cut short to return to Chelsea midway through the season, where he has had a limited role). The natural next step is to integrate into the first team as squad players. Wesley Fofana is an interesting case. He has featured heavily for Chelsea this season but his performances have not been as consistent as team-mates like Chalobah and, given Colwill’s return, it would not be surprising to see his involvement decline. Benoit Badiashile’s injury record casts serious doubt on his reliability and he has not always impressed when available. His stock at Chelsea is low, though, and finding a buyer could be a challenge. The most obvious exit candidate is Axel Disasi, who Chelsea will hope to move on permanently after a successful loan at West Ham United. Keep: Colwill, Chalobah, Acheampong, Tosin, Anselmino, Sarr Sell: Fofana, Badiashile, Disasi Full-backs This department is far leaner. The only debate over Reece James is whether his role under Alonso will be in midfield or at right-back. Malo Gusto is his clear deputy, with Acheampong or Sarr also able to slide out to right-back. The Athletic has reported that Geovany Quenda, who will arrive from Sporting CP this summer, is earmarked for a role as a winger rather than wing-back at Chelsea — but it feels possible Alonso’s arrival could change that if he does opt to use wing-backs as he did at Bayer Leverkusen. Jorrel Hato has blossomed in the last few months and is establishing himself as a capable deputy to Marc Cucurella at left-back, with the versatility to help as a left-sided centre-back. This is not an area where Chelsea can afford too many exits without high-quality replacements, particularly given the importance of attacking full-backs in Alonso’s football. It could be the incoming manager wants to shift James to midfield, which puts less strain on his injury-prone body, and add a more experienced specialist wing-back. Keep: Cucurella, Hato, James, Gusto, Quenda. Midfield Enzo Fernandez’s future, despite having his best season in front of goal for the club, is the biggest question mark in Chelsea’s squad. The Argentina international was dropped for two games in April over comments made to the media, and his agent confirmed to The Athletic that the player intended to “explore other options” if an agreement on a new contract cannot be reached with Chelsea after the World Cup. Fernandez has been crucial to Chelsea’s build-up and goal threat, and still has six years remaining on his contract. But Chelsea also want to add more maturity and leadership to their squad and, in that sense, Fernandez’s disciplinary record and his decision to air some of his complaints in public could count against him. Chelsea are targeting at least two starting-calibre signings this summer; recouping a healthy amount of the then-British record transfer fee they paid for Fernandez in 2023 would certainly help them in the market. The important caveat is that one of those signings would have to be a midfielder who can replace Fernandez, but that would be a good position to introduce a new leader in the squad. Fernandez’s future at Chelsea is uncertainCarl Recine/Getty Images In defensive midfield, Moises Caicedo has recommitted to Chelsea with a new long-term deal, and Andrey Santos has impressed in a deeper role in his first season at the club, arguably moving ahead of Romeo Lavia in the pecking order. With James as an additional option, Chelsea have enough holding midfielders for Alonso’s usual box midfield. Dario Essugo spent the vast majority of his first season at Chelsea recovering from a thigh injury but the handful of minutes he has played span a few different midfield roles, suggesting the club will view him as a useful cover player to keep around the squad. Cole Palmer will be the first pick for a central attacking-midfield role, which Fernandez could also fulfil if he stays at the club. Estevao has impressed as an out-and-out winger this season, but sees himself as a No 10 too. If Alonso wants to implement the tactics he used at Leverkusen at Chelsea, saddling Estevao with the defensive responsibilities of a wing-back feels like a waste of his talent, so a partnership with Palmer behind the striker could be the best solution. Keep: Caicedo, Santos, Lavia, Palmer, Essugo, Estevao Sell: Fernandez Wingers If Alonso wants to employ a back three and wing-backs in the way he did at Bayer Leverkusen, that is not ideal for several players. When Manchester United used wing-backs under Ruben Amorim, Alejandro Garnacho was generally preferred for an inside-forward role, but it is tricky to see him displacing Chelsea team-mates there. Jamie Gittens, too, is a straightforward winger and has had a difficult first season at Stamford Bridge, struggling for a place due to form and often fitness. Neither of the two summer 2025 signings have made much of an impression. It is hard to predict whether any of these players will need to make way without knowing how Alonso plans to use his squad. Gittens arguably deserves more of a chance, without injury, to make his case. Garnacho has had far more opportunities and failed to make an impact. It is worth seeing how he fares in whatever system Alonso opts for. Pedro Neto’s availability and versatility make him an important player. What next for Garnacho?Alex Pantling/Getty Images Jesse Derry, who joined Chelsea from Crystal Palace’s academy last summer and has predominantly featured for the youth teams, is on the periphery of first-team football. A spate of injuries presented him with the opportunity for a Premier League debut against Nottingham Forest earlier in May, which was cut short by a nasty head injury. Chelsea clearly see a path into the first team for the 18-year-old. Tyrique George, after a more prominent role at the beginning of the campaign, has spent his 2026 on loan at Everton and has featured consistently from the bench — but without scoring in his 10 league appearances. Chelsea have enough wide talent and, if a permanent move can be found, it would represent pure profit as he is an academy graduate. Finally, Mykhailo Mudryk is currently appealing a ban for doping at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Keep: Neto, Gittens, Garnacho, Derry Sell: George Strikers Joao Pedro has been Chelsea’s best signing of the season and, though he has shown the versatility to play as a No 10, has firmly staked his claim as a starting striker. The question is over his backups. The first half of Liam Delap’s season was derailed by injury, but he has now had ample time to show what he can do and is yet to convince. He has failed to score in his past 25 appearances. A couple of brief injuries to Joao Pedro afforded him Premier League starts against Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Tottenham Hotspur in the past month and he has not shown much in those opportunities. Emanuel Emegha will join from Strasbourg, and Nicolas Jackson is due to return from his loan at Bayern Munich. Marc Guiu remains on the books. Chelsea do not need four backup centre-forwards; someone needs to make way. Delap has struggled to convinceMike Hewitt/Getty Images A loan for Guiu — which was the plan before he was recalled following Delap’s hamstring injury at the beginning of this season — feels sensible to allow the 20-year-old some playing time. Emegha’s injury issues this season at Strasbourg stir doubt over how quickly he can adapt to the load of the Premier League, but the timing feels right to integrate him into the squad. If Chelsea are willing to reintegrate Jackson, he is already familiar with others in the squad and would be their most reliable backup to Joao Pedro. He scored eight goals in 23 Bundesliga appearances — only 12 of which were starts — which is a far more productive record than Delap. The challenge is whether Chelsea would want to reintegrate him: if they can sell him, his value will presumably have been boosted by this season’s loan. Retaining either Delap or Jackson and selling the other feels the best solution. Finding a buyer, particularly for Delap, is difficult, given the high valuations Chelsea would presumably attach to both. Keep: Joao Pedro, Emegha, Jackson/Delap Sell: Jackson/Delap Loan: Guiu Cerys Jones Cerys is a London-based writer covering Chelsea for The Athletic, as well as other London clubs and women's football. She joined The Athletic in summer 2025.

Enzo Fernandez wants Cristian Romero to join Chelsea from rivals Tottenham this summer. (Simon Phillips) Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella remains a long-term target for both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. (Sky Sports) Chelsea have a surprise interest in snapping up Bernardo Silva on a free transfer this summer as he closes in on an exit from Manchester City. (Marca) Meanwhile, Levi Colwill’s future is in doubt as both Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping an eye on the Chelsea defender. (Marca) Chelsea are stepping up their interest in Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix and could be prepared to try a swap deal for him this summer. (Sports Boom) Barcelona’s top two targets to replace Robert Lewandowski this summer are Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez and Chelsea’s Joao Pedro. (Mundo Deportivo) Barcelona retain an interest in Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella, though their priority for now seems to be on attacking players such as Julian Alvarez, as well as a final decision on the future of Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford. (Sky Sports)

Our season ended after that UCL tie with PSG. Something must have happened between the players and Liam for them to not care at all.....and then as soon as he's gone, they decide to give it a go vs Leeds in fa cup and then show some pride vs Spurs at home. We beat Villa by 3 goals and we were on course for UCL (4th/5th spot)....the rest is history.