Alejandro Garnacho’s future at Chelsea is in doubt (Image: Getty)
Chelsea will need to make up to 11 changes before Xabi Alonso settles into his new position. The Blues’ next manager will officially take over on July 1, having signed a four-year deal with Stamford Bridge, giving him and the sporting executive plenty of time to strengthen the squad.
But before Chelsea can consider bringing in additional players, a major departure is needed. When Alonso accepted the role as Liam Rosenior’s permanent successor, he expressed a determination to “build the right culture and win trophies”. “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and I am extremely proud to be the manager of this great club,” said the 44-year-old, who retired as Real Madrid’s head coach earlier this year.
“From our conversations with the ownership group and leaders in the sport, it is clear that we share the same ambitions. We always want to build a team that can compete at the highest level and fight for trophies.”
“This football club has great talent and huge potential and I am very proud to be leading the team. The focus now is on working hard, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
Alonso acknowledged the “great talent” and “huge potential” in the squad, but the Blues must remain decisive this summer. When the transfer window opens on June 15, Chelsea will have a two-week grace period to sign any player they deem fit, giving the former Liverpool midfielder a fresh start.
Not only will Alonso be able to build a solid base of reliable players, but the sport’s coaching team will also be able to generate funds to re-sign new talent. So, with that in mind, we’ve looked at the 11 players Chelsea should let go in the coming weeks.
Chelsea made headlines in the summer of 2024 when they spent £20.7m to sign Jorgensen from Villarreal. The Blues were desperately looking for a new goalkeeper to replace Robert Sanchez, but rather than bring in an established name, they brought in a then 22-year-old goalkeeper who was completing his first full season as number one in the top flight.
As expected, Jorgensen was adept at using his feet, but he emerged from the depths of his strengths and the sporadic chances between the sticks didn’t help. To this day, he is usually only brought on if Sanchez commits a high-profile error, unless it’s a cup match.
For his own benefit, Jorgensen should move on, whether on loan or permanently, and focus on getting more playing time. Chelsea, on the other hand, need a senior lieutenant who can provide experience and quality when needed, rather than a youngster hanging around during game time.
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Fofana returned from injury this season but failed to live up to expectations. The 25-year-old defender, who Chelsea signed from Leicester for a deposit of £70m in August 2022, was expected to at least take some of the load off Levi Colwill when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during pre-season.
Although Fofana failed to offer nearly the same quality as the Cobham graduate, he and Trevo Chalobah showed flashes of potential as a partnership under Enzo Maresca. Injury or not, the Frenchman never progressed any further. In fact, his performance worsened as the campaign dragged on.
To be fair, many others were struggling as well. But Fofana only proved he was not the right partner for Colwill next season, given his transfer fee, salary and spotty fitness record. A careless red card on the final day was just the icing on the cake.
Gusto was one of the first names on the team sheet, while Maresca continued as manager and often played a key role for Chelsea in the so-called “big games”. The 23-year-old defender, who the Blues signed from Lyon for £30.7m in January 2023, has not made an outstanding performance since the Italian’s departure, raising questions about his long-term future.
Less dramatically, the beginning of Chelsea’s downfall this season could be traced back to Toshin’s two glaring mistakes in the defeat to Leeds at the end of last year. The 28-year-old defender cannot take all the blame for the collapse that followed, but he has generally contributed little this term.
Unfortunately for Toshin, he has been miscast by Stamford Bridge bosses as the team’s “experienced” figure. Experience does not equal quality. The centre-back was not scouted on a free transfer from Fulham as a cheerleader.
Similarly, there are different experiences. Although Torsin is an experienced pro, he doesn’t offer the same level of experience as players like Enzo Fernandes. Despite being three years younger, Enzo Fernandes is competing and winning at the highest level.
Chelsea have already made four new signings in preparation for Xabi Alonso (Image: Getty Images)
Badiashile also faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. The 25-year-old defender, signed by the Blues for £35m from Monaco in January 2023, has yet to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.
With Colwill returning from injury and Jorel Hato developing into a fairly reliable option, Badiashile has no prospects for improvement. The Frenchman has also done little to reinvent himself as a right-sided centre-back, with Trevor Chalobah and Josh Acheampong ready to fight for Alonso’s trust.
Garnacho has come under scrutiny during his time at Chelsea. The 21-year-old winger, snapped up by the Blues from Manchester United in the summer for £40m, arrived with a reputation as a troublemaker, but his attitude has been exemplary.
Nevertheless, this does not exempt him from criticism regarding his performances on the pitch. Garnacho tends to be a good fit in the final third, but his final product always leaves much to be desired.
The Argentina international will hopefully eventually grow out of his debauchery in front of goal, but time is a precious commodity at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea must sign a world-class, or at least near-world-class, left-winger over the summer if Alonso wants to challenge on all fronts.
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Jamie Gittens, who the Blues signed from Borussia Dortmund for around £50m, has been sidelined for most of the season due to injury. Even during his fitness period, the 21-year-old winger has rarely been given a chance to shine, and Garnacho will likely be responsible for that.
Delap has endured a difficult life at Chelsea. The 23-year-old arrived as a striker who excels in transition, but the Blues, a team built on dominance of possession, often looked to break down deep defensive blocks.
Still, when Delap had a chance in the final third, he squandered it. The English player has shown his qualities as a finisher before and perhaps a loan elsewhere would serve him well. Chelsea only paid £30m for Delap from Ipswich Town, meaning the club will have little difficulty recouping its initial cost or even making a profit.
Like Jorgensen, Giu should move on in the interest of his career. The 20-year-old striker, signed from Barcelona for just £5m in July 2024, showed great promise in his first season, but just as he looked set to secure a starting role, he suffered an injury.
Wanting to give Giu more regular game time, the Blues sent him on loan to Sunderland in the summer, but he was quickly recalled after Nicholas Jackson forced a move to Bayern Munich. The Spaniard has started just five games for Chelsea this season and has played less than 600 minutes on the pitch.
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Axel DiSasi, Tirkiwe George and David Datolo Fofana could also qualify once their respective loan terms end. None of the trio has been particularly impressive this season, and there is precious little reason for Alonso to reintegrate them into his first-team plans.
DiSasi joined from Monaco in August 2023 for £38.5m and spent the second half of the season at West Ham. Despite showing improvement in their defensive structure, they were unable to prevent the Hammers from being relegated to the Premier League.
George also joined Everton on loan from Stamford Bridge during the winter transfer window. The Toffees are understood to have an option to sign the 20-year-old winger on a permanent transfer this summer. He started just one game and played just 200 minutes for David Moyes’ side. Datro Fofana, who Chelsea signed from Molde for around £8m in January 2023, is the third and final loanee to be moved on loan in the coming weeks.
In January 2023, the Ivorian bid farewell to Chelsea, coming on as a substitute in a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester City in the third round of the FA Cup. Although he made a promising impression, he only made three more appearances for the Blues and was released on loan each subsequent season.
Datro Fofana spent the second half of the season with Strasbourg, also under BlueCo ownership, contributing the only assist in nine appearances across all competitions…
