Chelsea Transfers

[mkh 760]

PL clubs will no longer be able to sell assets like hotels and women's teams to themselves from next season to get round new financial rules.

(@BBCSport)

[Vesper 31,112]

Who can Chelsea rotate in for Moises Caicedo with Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo out?

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6820853/2025/11/21/moises-caicedo-Chelsea-rotation-analysis/

Nobody can accuse Chelsea of not getting their money’s worth from Moises Caicedo.

Since arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion for a then British-record fee of £115million ($150m at the current rate) in August 2023, Caicedo has become their team’s metronome: key in building attacks, screening the defence, and dictating matters in midfield.

This season, according to fbref.com, he is also their joint-top scorer with four goals across all competitions, has won more tackles than any team-mate (26) and has had the second-most touches of all Chelsea players (1,016, a hair behind Trevoh Chalobah on 1,018).

The only question left to ask about Caicedo is how to make this last.

Judging by Romeo Lavia’s starts against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Nottingham Forest and Qarabag and Dario Essugo’s signing in the summer, the intention was for the 24-year-old Ecuador international to be rotated in and out of the side this season in line with Chelsea’s approach to managing their squad. Both those players are currently injured however, with Lavia out until at least December and Essugo possibly into the new year.

Catch Up On The Story

Reece James, Romeo Lavia, and Chelsea’s different approach to managing comebacks

Chelsea beat Ajax with a heavily-rotated side on Wednesday night - it is all part of the club's plans to limit injury absences

Caicedo is already leading Chelsea’s squad for minutes played this season (1,262 in 16 appearances — the only match he’s missed was against third-division Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup). International duty with Ecuador — for whom he played two full games in this November window, the second of them finishing in the early hours of Wednesday, UK time — adds to his load. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said in October that he was among a few players unable to train every day due to physical problems.

Arguably no player is more important to the club right now than Caicedo, but also nobody in their squad is more in need of rest — even if that is coming off in the 70th minute of a match, say, rather than continuing until full time. So with Lavia and Essugo both sidelined, who else could Chelsea currently use in his place?

Here, The Athletic breaks down who could provide makeshift cover.

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Enzo Fernandez

Fernandez has shown a good eye for a through ball this season — here, against Sunderland last month, he drops off to help build the attack from a deeper position and plays an excellent pass up to striker Marc Guiu, whose attempted cross is too close to goalkeeper Robin Roefs.

The Argentinian often drops off behind the attack to help link play, tending to occupy the spaces on either side of Caicedo. Finding passes into the final third is not a problem for him like this; doing so from a more central role would be an adjustment, but he is used to the physicality of the Premier League almost three years after signing from Portugal’s Benfica and generally able to move the ball on quickly. Fernandez also does not shy away from the defensive side of the game, as we can see from his ‘true tackle attempts’ in the table below.

There are issues with dropping him deeper, though: firstly, the risk of losing the goal threat he has provided this season. Fernandez has had a lot of joy lurking at the edge of the box and making late runs, as shown by his goals against West Ham United and Brighton. A more withdrawn role could jeopardise that. He works hard out of possession, but as we can see from his tackle success rate, the effort he puts in does not always come off. Finally, Fernandez — who stayed home from Argentina duty this month as he manages a knee complaint — could also do with some rest.

Cole Palmer’s return from the groin injury that’s kept him out since September should bolster the attack if Fernandez were to drop further back, though. If Fernandez is feeling revitalised after a couple of weeks with no football, moving him deeper late in games to allow Caicedo’s substitution — with Andrey Santos or even Malo Gusto playing the No 8 role — could be a way to give his fellow South American a break.

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Andrey Santos

Santos has mostly rotated with Fernandez as an attacking midfielder, but there could be merit in trying the 21-year-old Brazilian in a deeper role. His tackling statistics are impressive, and Maresca has played him in Caicedo’s usual spot against Palmeiras in July’s Club World Cup quarter-final and Lincoln in the Carabao Cup in September.

Having mostly featured from the bench this season, Santos could help cover the defence in the latter stages of games. The main question marks are over his physicality and experience; in June, Maresca said he saw Santos as more of an attacking midfielder than a defensive one, partly because of the physical demands of the Premier League. Santos has struggled at times to win the ball from opponents, and his five yellow cards in all competitions (the most among Chelsea players) from 15 appearances, show he still has some maturing to do defensively.

Here, for instance, Lincoln’s Rob Street is more alert to Chalobah’s poor pass and intercepts; Santos stretches but cannot reach the ball and is booked for taking down Street instead. Yes, Chalobah’s pass does not help Santos here — but with defensive team-mates running back either side of him, it is probably not a risk he needs to take.

Santos’ comparative lack of Premier League experience (nine games, two starts) is still showing; low-pressure situations might be the safest time to try him out in a holding role.

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Reece James

Maresca has a few defensive options with a history of stepping up into midfield. Chalobah and Gusto have both done it in the past — but keeping Chalobah at centre-back would help Maresca achieve some consistency there, and Gusto is better suited to a wider, more attacking role. In terms of passing range and comfort on the ball, James is one of the best options to push forward.

Though typically a right-back, James has played in midfield as recently as the 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on the first day of this month. In that instance, he was alongside Caicedo. His pass map from the match demonstrates his ability to help build attacks with long passes and through balls.

James does not face the same physicality challenge Santos does. Playing him in midfield has the bonus of exposing Chelsea’s 25-year-old club captain to fewer sprints up and down the flank — hopefully helping protect him from reinjury after his string of issues in that area. He is defensively experienced, though would need to adapt from being able to isolate opponents against a touchline when playing full-back to holding them up with space to either side.

Gusto, Wesley Fofana and even Josh Acheampong are capable alternatives at right-back, which gives Maresca more scope to move James into midfield. Given the desire to manage James’ minutes, sharing a role there with Caicedo could benefit both.

There is no straightforward answer, and any makeshift solution will likely have some teething problems — but in the long term, that could be a price worth paying to keep Caicedo at his freshest and best.

[NikkiCFC 8,516]

51 minutes ago, mkh said:

PL clubs will no longer be able to sell assets like hotels and women's teams to themselves from next season to get round new financial rules.

(@BBCSport)

Players on loan, length of contracts... Now this... How many rules they changed only because of Chelsea?

Regarding Rudiger he thrived in 3atb system under Tuchel. 

[mkh 760]

10 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Players on loan, length of contracts... Now this... How many rules they changed only because of Chelsea?

Regarding Rudiger he thrived in 3atb system under Tuchel. 

100% 😁💪

[Fernando 6,725]

11 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Players on loan, length of contracts... Now this... How many rules they changed only because of Chelsea?

Regarding Rudiger he thrived in 3atb system under Tuchel. 

It just shows that these owners are smart when it comes to finding loopholes. 

[TheHulk 2,646]

Just now, Fernando said:

It just shows that these owners are smart when it comes to finding loopholes. 

Yeah and extremely dumb in actually making good use of them.

[Fernando 6,725]

50 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

Yeah and extremely dumb in actually making good use of them.

You just a hater bro. 

Can't see the big picture of how we are doing and just any little thing you always hating on the manager or the board. 

Edited November 22, 2025 by Fernando

[TheHulk 2,646]

7 minutes ago, Fernando said:

You just a hater bro. 

Can't see the big picture of how we are doing and just any little thing you always hating on the manager or the board. 

They wasted ton of money on shit, sold club assets to fix the issue and still didn't bother addressing the real needs.

3 years in and still searching for a front shirt sponsor and still plenty of brainwashed people in our fanbase lecturing others they have some grand master plan around the corner.

Edited November 22, 2025 by TheHulk

[Fernando 6,725]

4 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

They wasted ton of money on shit, sold club assets to fix the issue and still didn't bother addressing the real needs.

3 years in and still searching for a front shirt sponsor and still plenty of brainwashed people in our fanbase lecturing others they have some grand master plan around the corner.

I will give them the next two transfer window to asses that issue. If come next season they have not done much to address that I will give you the benefit of the doubt. 

But in 3 years they are doing good for me. Reminds me of how arteta started, took a while to get to it. 

So our next level is to get that area right in the coming windows. 

[whats happening 1,666]

10 minutes ago, TheHulk said:

They wasted ton of money on shit, sold club assets to fix the issue and still didn't bother addressing the real needs.

this would be a good argument from you if the players you wanted werent so dogshit in other teams

[TheHulk 2,646]

6 minutes ago, whats happening said:

this would be a good argument from you if the players you wanted werent so dogshit in other teams

Yeah or actually fix the central defense and goalkeeper like many wanted and knew it was needed.

Edited November 22, 2025 by TheHulk

[TheHulk 2,646]

16 minutes ago, Fernando said:

I will give them the next two transfer window to asses that issue. If come next season they have not done much to address that I will give you the benefit of the doubt. 

But in 3 years they are doing good for me. Reminds me of how arteta started, took a while to get to it. 

So our next level is to get that area right in the coming windows. 

For the amounts spent in total its been average at best what they assembled so far.

Also ignoring the first team and just talking about the club since they came in they've been shambles, mediocre appointments, no stadium development, no front shirt deal, the one thing I can give them credit is how they set up Strasbourg which looks very good but that's about it.

[Vesper 31,112]

your WC AMF/LWer (Musiala) out for months with a horror injury?

No problem if you are Bayern

just plug in your latest wunderkind

17yo 'Ribery ReGen' Lennart Karl

[Vesper 31,112]

Deniz Undav

6 goals in his last 3 games for Stuttgart

[Vesper 31,112]

Romano going full wild rumour-monger.....

• Chelsea have made an enquiry about signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, though it’s anticipated that he could cost as much as €100m. (Fichajes)

• Ibrahima Konate’s future remains uncertain, but Liverpool are expected to win the race for Marc Guehi. (Christian Falk, CF Bayern Insider)

• Could Dayot Upamecano be Liverpool-bound? Full story here!

• Bukayo Saka to Real Madrid? Surprise reports in Spain claim Los Blancos are preparing a huge move for the Arsenal winger. (Fichajes)

• Manchester United are confident over Elliot Anderson, with sources suggesting the Red Devils feel they can land the 23-year-old England international for quite a bit below Nottingham Forest’s £100m asking price. (Mark Brus, the Daily Briefing)

• Manchester United could end up signing all three of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, and Adam Wharton as they plan a major overhaul of their squad, including the sales of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, whilst letting Casemiro leave at the end of his contract next summer. (TEAMtalk)

• Although Ruben Amorim wants Robert Lewandowski, there are other key figures at Manchester United who are unsure about investing so much in the veteran striker. (Fichajes)

• Antoine Semenyo to Manchester United is now considered the most likely outcome of this transfer saga amid plenty of speculation and links with other big clubs ahead of January. (Fichajes)

[Pizy 19,283]

52 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Romano going full wild rumour-monger.....

• Chelsea have made an enquiry about signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, though it’s anticipated that he could cost as much as €100m. (Fichajes)

• Ibrahima Konate’s future remains uncertain, but Liverpool are expected to win the race for Marc Guehi. (Christian Falk, CF Bayern Insider)

• Could Dayot Upamecano be Liverpool-bound? Full story here!

• Bukayo Saka to Real Madrid? Surprise reports in Spain claim Los Blancos are preparing a huge move for the Arsenal winger. (Fichajes)

• Manchester United are confident over Elliot Anderson, with sources suggesting the Red Devils feel they can land the 23-year-old England international for quite a bit below Nottingham Forest’s £100m asking price. (Mark Brus, the Daily Briefing)

• Manchester United could end up signing all three of Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, and Adam Wharton as they plan a major overhaul of their squad, including the sales of Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford, whilst letting Casemiro leave at the end of his contract next summer. (TEAMtalk)

• Although Ruben Amorim wants Robert Lewandowski, there are other key figures at Manchester United who are unsure about investing so much in the veteran striker. (Fichajes)

• Antoine Semenyo to Manchester United is now considered the most likely outcome of this transfer saga amid plenty of speculation and links with other big clubs ahead of January. (Fichajes)

If these rumors are to be believed, Man United will be having a spending spree like Liverpool just did. Which seems far fetched because they’re still broke and have to sell to buy, no?

[mkh 760]

🟢🗯💫The best players whose contracts expire in the summer of 2026 and whom Chelsea could potentially sign:

-Robert Lewandowski (37)

-Benzema (38)

-Ruben Neves (29)

-Kante (35)

-Marc Guehi (26)

-Mike Maignan (31)

-John Stones (32)

-Ibrahima Konate (27)

-Dayot Upamecano (27)

-Eric Garcia (25)

-Dusan Vlahovic (26)

-Antonio Rüdiger (33)

 

💬💣These two players are definitely worth keeping an eye on at Chelsea or Strasbourg, as their contracts expire on December 31, 2026:

-Rayan (19)

-Maher Carrizo (19)

[Vesper 31,112]

1 hour ago, mkh said:

-Maher Carrizo (19)

Maher Carrizo

BUT

he is another left-footer

[Vesper 31,112]

1 hour ago, mkh said:

Marc Guehi (26)

-Mike Maignan (31)

just to be clear

those are their ages after their next birthdays (both in July 2026)

would really love to have both in January

but it is not happening, more than likely

[mkh 760]

🔵Chelsea are reportedly showing the most interest in Olympique Marseille's 18-year-old talent, Robino Vaz.

(Africa Foot)