GK: Kepa, Mendy, Bettinelli, Slonina
LB: Chilwell, Cucurella, Maatsen
RB: James, Gusto, Azpilicueta
CB: Silva, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Sarr, Ampadu
DM/CM: Enzo, Kante, Kovacic, RLC, Mount, Zakaria, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Hall, Santos
LW/RW: Mudryk, Ziyech, Pulisic, Felix, Sterling, Madueke, CHO
FW: Havertz, Nkunku, D. Fofana, Aubameyang, Broja, Lukaku
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That makes it 41 players when counting all of our current squad, returning loanees and the arrivals of Nkunku and Gusto in the summer. We'll almost certainly be adding another striker as well as a new DM which would take the list up to a ridiculous 43 players.
Now that it's confirmed we won't be having European football for next season I would say the optimal squad size for a season of only EPL + domestic cups is around 23-24 first team players so as things stand there's around 19-20 players too many.
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Here's my list of players who we should be looking to get rid:
Slonina (loan out)
Cucurella / Maatsen, keep one sell one
Koulibaly / Chalobah, keep one sell one
Sarr
Ampadu
Azpi
Kovacic / RLC, keep one sell one
Mount / Gallagher, keep one sell one
Zakaria (loan expiring)
Hall (loan out)
Santos (loan out)
Chukwuemeka (loan out)
Ziyech
Pulisic
CHO
Aubameyang
Felix (loan expiring)
D. Fofana (loan out)
Broja (loan out)
Lukaku
That's 20 players. Probably won't be successful in offloading everyone from the list but at least 16-17 departures should be a realistic target, considering many on the list are promising youngsters who we'd be loaning out to lesser clubs for their development on the cheap.
Of the 'multiple choice' options I'd ideally look to keep Maatsen, Chalobah, Kovacic and Mount but I'll take anything as long as at least one of each category leaves. Lukaku, Aubameyang, Ziyech, Pulisic and sadly Azpilicueta are the ones who absolutely have to go.
Going to be a very busy summer at the club office. 😂
Resigning Mount would be far from it. I mean surely most can see Poch might actually utilise someone like Mase, no?
He fits the profile of these kind of players he has improved at Southamtpon and Spurs - granted MM has been pish this season in terms of his consistency and outputs but he has that aggression and energy to get around the pitch and make a telling contribution in a high pressing team as well as some individual qualities which we all know he can show - just needs to start doing it again and really fine tune that part of his game.
Even Gallagher, I think Poch may even find a place for him in the squad - although I hope not as firstly I think he isn’t cut out for the level we want to be going towards and secondly, we need to cut some players to make the squad smaller (Ruben also has to go 100%).
I’ve always believed if the club takes the contract down from 7 years to 3/4, Mason would resign regardless. So we will see.
