Chelsea are poised to offload several players from their inflated squad in the upcoming January transfer window, with permanent exits and loans on the cards.
Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are reportedly set to lead the exodus, with the latter carrying a £40 million price tag, the full value of his release clause. However, a loan deal remains a possibility if no club is willing to meet the asking price.
Cesare Casadei is also likely to be shipped out on loan, with Feyenoord and Monza expressing interest in the Italian youngster. Home-grown talent Harvey Vale, meanwhile, is available for a permanent exit, just six months before his contract expires. Fellow youngster Alex Matos completes the quintet of players potentially facing the chop.
According to Chelsea’s coach, Enzo Maresca, Chilwell and Chukwuemeka have been training regularly but are eager to play games, which may prompt them to seek pastures new. “Probably they are the first [to say] that they want to leave because they train every day, because they want to play games and if they don’t play games probably they are thinking of leaving,” Maresca said.
The January transfer window opens on 1 January and runs until 11pm on 3 February, giving Chelsea ample time to conduct their transfer business. While selling Chukwuemeka would be the most lucrative deal, the lack of game time for the midfielder in the first half of the season makes it unlikely.
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