Four Players Chelsea Need to Offload After Benoit Badiashile Deal Agreed

After splashing the cash on a handful of new signings earlier this summer, Chelsea’s focus is now on departures.

The next player heading out the door is center back Benoît Badiashile. Numerous reports state an agreement has been reached to loan the Frenchman to Napoli for a fee of $3.4 million (£2.5 million), with the deal also including the option for the four-time Serie A winners to permanently buy for $31 million (£23 million).

The job is far from done, however, with the lack of European soccer next season meaning Chelsea, and new manager Xabi Alonso, have no need for a bloated squad.

It means there’s work to do for the Spaniard and Chelsea’s higher-ups, freeing up wages and roster space ahead of the new season.

Axel Disasi

Chelsea don’t have a “bomb squad” this summer—at least, not one as vast as in previous summers. Badiashile had been training away from Alonso’s squad, often working alongside another unwanted French defender, Axel Disasi.

Disasi impressed last season on loan at West Ham United and is thought to have a handful of suitors, with Crystal Palace tipped to pursue their own temporary deal to help replace new Blues signing Maxence Lacroix.

Decisions need to be made over youngsters like Aarón Anselmino, Mamadou Sarr and Josh Acheampong. While some of them may end up staying, there is simply no longer a place for Disasi.

Liam Delap or One Other Senior Striker

The arrival of Danny Welbeck means Chelsea currently have a total of five senior strikers. Clearly, that is far too many for any squad, let alone one playing just once per week.

João Pedro is deservedly untouchable at the top of the team, while Welbeck is obviously not going anywhere. There is perhaps just one more spot available, but whether that goes to Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap or the as-yet-unseen Emmanuel Emegha is anyone’s guess.

Delap appears the prime candidate for an exit, having struggled horribly at Stamford Bridge.Fabrizio Romano revealed on Friday that Como, led by former Blues midfielder Cesc Fàbregas, have opened talks over a deal. There is interest in Jackson from across Europe but he would seem to be the best-fit of the three players—particularly with the jury still out on Emegha.

Marc Guiu or One Other Younger Striker

You could even argue Chelsea could do without any of Jackson, Delap or Emegha because of the three younger strikers still on the books at Stamford Bridge.

Dastan Satpayev, 18, enjoyed an impressive preseason and may benefit from a year on the fringes of Alonso’s squad. He seems to have leapfrogged Marc Guiu, 20, and David Datro Fofana, 23, in the pecking order.

Whether it be loans or permanent deals, Chelsea need to trim these numbers quickly.

Pedro Neto or One Other Big-Name Winger

Clearly, Chelsea’s squad was not built for a year out of Europe. There are now six wingers in the group, and that doesn’t even count the right-sided tendencies of Cole Palmer.

Mykhailo Mudryk is back from a lengthy suspension and surely needs a loan exit to rebuild his match fitness, but aside from him, you get the sense a tough decision is going to have to be made somewhere.

One starting spot is going to go to record signing Morgan Rogers. Opposite him, will Alonso turn to Estêvão, Pedro Neto, Jamie Gittens or Geovany Quenda?

Of that group, it is Neto who brings the most resale value and Manchester City are known admirers. Quenda could possibly depart on loan, but there will be no exit for fellow youngster Estêvão, who is already a key part of the project.