Chelsea Transfers

[Strike 7,822]

7 hours ago, DDA said:

I would say im worried about the names we are being linked with but im not surprised at all. 
 

We are looking to buy players from relegated teams.

 

No money to do anything else.

 

Pretty sure though that no one has a read on Chelsea's transfer plans yet. Lot of names being circulated but it could change once Xabi takes charge. 

[Vesper 31,142]

LBs to replace CuCu

Nico O'Reilly 
Nathaniel Brown
Alphonso Davies 
Lewis Hall 
Davide Bartesaghi
Dayann Methalie 

youth

Vinicius Lira 

[Mhsc 1,150]

23 hours ago, Tomo said:

Hard to really think about the market until I know which system Alonso wants to play.

If he's sticking to a back 4 a CB is an urgent need, if he's going back 3 then wingbacks are the priority.

Interesting way of thinking about it... I think about it rather differently, if we play a back 4, we need to sign 2 top CBs. If we play a back 3, we need to sign 3 top CBs.

The higher the % of the XI that is a CB, the more extremely high quality CBs we need in the squad. Otherwise we're just putting out more mediocre players in an XI and taking room away from better players we have in CM and elsewhere.

You can argue that by having 3 of them out there they can be mediocre and cover for each other better, but really it just means in the aggregate you are a worse, more defensive team that can't attack or defend well imo.

I don't think Alonso is wed to a particular formation or is limited to a back 4 or back 3 specific setup tho like an Amorim. He will play various systems depending on opponent like Maresca did imo.

[Vesper 31,142]

7 hours ago, Pizy said:

It’s why I’m actually warming to the idea of us going for Alex Scott from Bournemouth. Whilst our rivals are going for the bigger names like Anderson/Wharton/Tonali etc I feel like Scott is much more easily attainable for us. Has been one of the best CM’s in the league this season and fits that deep sitting Xhaka role Alonso loved at Leverkusen. 

In terms of CMFs I rate

first type

the great ones, but ones who are very unrealistic for multiple reasons, especially as we missed out on CL, but not just limited to that, as some simply will not want to leave their club for Chels, or are simply too expensive

Federico Valverde 
Elliot Anderson   
Bruno Guimarães 
Warren Zaïre-Emery   
Tijjani Reijnders  
Nicolò Barella 
Eduardo Camavinga
Frenkie de Jong    

 

2nd Type:

CMFs that we probably have a shot at (bold ones I really rate):

Pablo Barrios   
Ayyoub Bouaddi 
Felix Nmecha 
Senny Mayulu 
Tom Bischof
Lucas Bergvall    
Johan Manzambi  
Lamine Camara    
João Gomes
Archie Gray    
Alex Scott
Mateus Fernandes     
Habib Diarra    
Hugo Larsson  
Victor Froholdt
Noah Sadiki  
Yegor Yarmolyuk        
Mamadou Sangaré 
Jobe Bellingham   
Assan Ouédraogo
Nathan De Cat  
Christos Mouzakitis 
Lewis Miley
Kees Smit    
Javi Guerra  
Quinten Timber 
Breno Bidon  
Thiago Pitarch
Patrick Zabi off the board now, will move this summer to Paris FC
Christ Inao Oulaï  
Rodrigo Mendoza 
Ezechiel Banzuzi  
André    Sport Club Corinthians 
Rudy Matondo

[Vesper 31,142]

In terms of DMFs 

First type:

the great ones, but ones who are very unrealistic for multiple reasons, especially as we missed out on CL, but not just limited to that, as some simply will not want to leave their club for Chels, or are simply too expensive

Sandro Tonali 
Adam Wharton
Aleksandar Pavlovic   
Aurélien Tchouaméni  

2nd Type:

DMFs that we probably have a shot at

Carlos Baleba
Amadou Onana 
Nico González 
Morten Hjulmand 
Angelo Stiller  
Boubacar Kamara 
James Garner  
Alan Varela 
Marc Bernal      
Máximo Perrone 
Hayden Hackney 
Aleksandar Stanković     
Leon Avdullahu     
Mandela Keita

 

[Pizy 19,320]

^ @Vesper For me we need a Jorginho type but with significantly more mobility. A controlling, deep sitting midfielder with excellent technical ability. 

Lavia was supposed to be just that for us of course and does that defensive screen role perfectly but we need to move him on this summer because he can only play 5 games per season. 

Andrey Santos does the job well in this role but I’m not sure he’s every match starter level at a club like ours. Very good squad player who gets starts here and there.

We really need to replicate the Kante, Jorginho, Kova midfield. We have Caicedo and Enzo who can be the box to box guys but we need a super high quality string puller this summer. You plug a Anderson/Wharton/Scott type right at the base of our midfield and it transforms how we can play.

[mkh 779]

💥🔵I think J. Pedro is going to leave us this summer.

Barcelona has turned his head, and the rumors just keep coming❗️❗️

 

[Pizy 19,320]

We’re already going to need a high quality striker with JP here! The idea that we can ever consider selling him this summer is crazy. Unless he himself literally begs the club to let him go AND Barca can come up with £85-90m we shouldn’t even be picking up the phone.

I don’t know of any striker of JP’s level who we could go out and easily replace him with. 

[Vesper 31,142]

• 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)

[Vesper 31,142]

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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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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

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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.