A number of high-profile names have been deemed surplus to requirements and were left out of Chelsea’s squad for the Club World Cup. ..Continue Reading
Among those expected to leave are Renato Veiga, Lesley Ugochukwu, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell, Armando Broja, and Axel Disasi.
Sterling has returned from an underwhelming loan spell at Arsenal, while Félix struggled to make an impact during his temporary stint at AC Milan in the latter half of last season.
Chilwell, who earns a substantial weekly salary, is back from his loan at Crystal Palace, and Chelsea’s management is eager to find him a new club.
Chelsea’s crowded goalkeeping department has also led to speculation about potential exits. Despite missing out on signing Mike Maignan on deadline day, reports suggest the club may still pursue the French international.
This has cast doubt over the futures of Robert Sanchez and Djordje Petrovic, both of whom are reportedly available for transfer.
Journalist Simon Phillips has reported that Petrovic is actively looking to leave Chelsea in search of regular playing time.
The Serbian goalkeeper impressed during his loan spell at Strasbourg last season, and multiple clubs are now reaching out to his agent to explore a potential transfer.
With Chelsea focused on reshaping their squad, the summer window is expected to bring significant changes at Stamford Bridge.
“The club and Enzo Maresca do not believe he is good enough with his feet to be Chelsea number one, that’s it. And for that reason, he’s up for sale,” said Phillips, via his Substack.
“And on Petrovic’s side, he is 25-years-old now and will turn 26 early in the winter. He does not want to play second fiddle, and he knows if he stays at Chelsea then there is no guarantee that he will be a regular starter. So he also wants to leave the club if he cannot be guaranteed this.
“So right now, both parties want the same thing and that is for Petrovic to move on this summer, and I’d be very surprised at this point if he’s not sold this summer. He has many clubs phoning his agent right now to ask about a move.”
A section of Chelsea fans saw the deal for Maignan falling through as a blessing in disguise to hand Petrovic a route into the first team, but it seems Maresca doesn’t see a role for him due to a perceived lack of effective distribution in his game.
This is despite the huge praise from his manager at Strasbourg, Liam Rosenior, who called Petrovic a “world-class” shot-stopper.
“We have seen huge progress from Petro,” he said. “He is a world-class goalkeeper. We see it every day, and it is still paying off today.”
