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Chelsea have a big summer coming up with the futures of several players still in the balance. Thomas Tuchel is trying to make the Blues a Premier League title contender again and will be looking for reinforcements as well.
Declan Rice, Jules Kounde, and Aurélien Tchouaméni are reportedly the club’s top targets, but they are unlikely to be signed without current players making way. The Champions League winners have a huge squad, and trimming it is one of the main objectives for the club after the season ends.
While the Blues look at letting go of some 'deadwood', a few top players could depart as well. Here are five players who could leave Chelsea in the summer:
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#5 Antonio Rudiger
Rudiger is heading towards the end of his contract, and the German will become a free agent in the summer. He is keen to stay and has repeatedly admitted that he wants to keep going at Stamford Bridge.
"I feel great here, I have always said it. I think the way I play you can see that I'm happy here. But there are also other people who have to make decisions. Does it keep getting better and better for me at Chelsea? Yes. We had never won this trophy (FIFA Club World Cup) in Chelsea's history before. I'm very delighted that we didn't give up, that we did our thing. We tried everything and won," said the defender.
However, things are not as simple as the Blues are yet to offer him when he has demanded.
Reports suggest the defender has asked for a contract over £200k a week, but the London side are unwilling to break the bank right now.
Things seem to be edging closer towards a new contract, but if there is no agreement soon, Rudiger could be on his way out, with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich leading the chase.
#4 Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea captain)
Another player set to become a free agent is club captain Cesar Azpilicueta. The Spaniard has won it all at Stamford Bridge and is the only player in the club's history to do so.
Reports suggest the versatile defender is looking to sign a multi-year contract, but the Blues have offered him a single-year deal.
The club has an unwritten rule of offering players over 30 a single-season contract but will have to break it to keep their captain.
Barcelona have reportedly offered him a multi-year contract and are willing to match his wages at Stamford Bridge.
#3 Andreas Christensen
Andreas Christensen's situation at Chelsea is a highly complicated one as the Danish star had earlier agreed to a new deal before abruptly deciding to halt things. The defender was in talks with the club to renew his contract, and things went smoothly; however, there were reportedly issues with his agents just before putting pen to paper.
Now, things seem to have died down, and there have been no talks between the player, his agents, and the club. Moreover, the defender has reportedly hired a new agency (Kinpartners-Kinfootball) to handle his contract talks.
Barcelona are now leading the chase to land Christensen this summer on a free transfer.
#2 Kepa Arrizabalaga
Thomas Tuchel has revived Kepa Arrizabalaga's career, but there are no signs of him getting the #1 jersey yet. The Spaniard's confidence is back, and he has done well for the club every time he is on the pitch.
Kepa has not spent two seasons on the bench for Chelsea, and it is doubtful he will spend another one as a deputy to Edouard Mendy. The record signing is now expected to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer, but it is unclear if he will be moving on loan or a permanent deal.
He has over three years left on his current contract, and the Blues are not looking to keep him at the club against his wishes. Reports earlier this month suggested Tuchel was open to letting Kepa leave if he wanted to play regular football from next season.
Lazio and Sevilla have been linked with Kepa, but there are no concrete indications right now that a move is on the cards for either club.
#1 Timo Werner
Chelsea activated Timo Werner's release clause with a lot of hope, but the German has failed to deliver in front of goal. While he has been excellent in making runs and spaces for his teammates, the goals have dried up.
In recent games, the former RB Leipzig star has hardly made starts, and rumors suggest his future at the club is in the balance.
German clubs have been linked with the Chelsea star and should he fail to make an impact in the coming months, a move back to the Bundesliga could well and truly be on the cards.
Tuchel is reportedly keen on reuniting with his former player Ousmane Dembele, and if he is to be signed, the Blues are very likely to cut their losses on Werner and sell him this summer.
