A “clinical” player now wants to leave Chelsea and has a “desire for a change of scenery”, with an elite club looking set to knock on his door in the January transfer window.
Players linked with Chelsea exits in January
Manager Enzo Maresca has showcased a real ruthlessness in axing players he deems unfit for his long-term plans, with his treatment of stars like Raheem Sterling in the summer highlighting that big-name players are no exception.
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Alongside Sterling, Maresca and Chelsea offloaded Ian Maatsen, Conor Gallagher, Lewis Hall, Romelu Lukaku, Omari Hutchinson, Angelo Gabriel, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr, Tino Anjorin, Thiago Silva, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Djordje Petrovic, Trevoh Chalobah, Kepa Arrizabalaga, David Datro Fofana, Aflie Gilchrist and Bashir Humphreys – either on loan or permanently – and a few more players could follow them out of the door this winter.
Indeed, it is believed Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk could be allowed to leave on loan, as the Ukraine international winger has been reduced to cup appearances under Maresca thus far.
Liverpool (away)
October 20
Newcastle (home)
October 27
Man United (away)
November 3
Arsenal (home)
November 10
Leicester City (home)
November 23
Chiefs are keen for Mudryk to justify his potential £89 million price tag, and may well green-light a temporary exit so he can accumulate much-needed minutes.
Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile could also be sold by Chelsea, with the French defensive duo not exactly standing out as key players in Maresca’s matchday squad so far in the Premier League.
Left-back Ben Chilwell is most likely to leave Chelsea. According to Maresca, the £200,000-per-week defender was meant to leave in the summer, and it is believed that Chilwell is attracting serious interest from Manchester United ahead of January.
“I think so. Hopefully we can give him some minutes tomorrow,” said Maresca before Chilwell played 45 minutes against Barrow in the EFL Cup.
“The idea for him was to leave. In the moment that he’s here, he’s one of the squad, he’s training. He will be in the squad tomorrow, and hopefully we can give him some minutes.”
Carney Chukwuemeka wants to leave Chelsea
Midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, who has joined Chilwell in struggling for chances under Maresca, has also been linked with the Stamford Bridge exit door.
The £100,000-per-week ace is attracting interest from Serie A as Milan plan their own January transfer window, and the Rossoneri have shortlisted the player who they believe could seriously strengthen Paulo Fonseca’s ranks.
Carney Chukwuemeka
According to Calciomercato, Chukwuemeka is ready to leave Chelsea, and has a “desire for a change of scenery”. It is believed Milan are planning a loan bid for the 20-year-old when the transfer window reopens as they look to “take advantage” of Chukwuemeka’s eagerness to quit the Blues.
Chelsea signed the player from Aston Villa for around £22 million, right at the start of Clearlake Capital’s takeover in 2022, but things haven’t exactly taken off for him since then, despite some praise from the likes of Marcel Desailly.
“I like Carney Chukwuemeka because he is like an artist who comes onto the stage,” said Desailly.
“He has got the ball. Now is my moment. Shine. You see the dribbling. He is sure about what he is going to do and he is clinical. I love it.”
