Which current players do Chelsea need to sell to help finance a couple of major additions to the team in the summer transfer window?
The club must move quickly to sell players and aggregate funds to help it secure the new players Frank Lampard wants. There’s not much time as the 2020 summer transfer window is already open and next season starts in about six weeks. There are several players who can be sold to assist in this effort, but who are they?
1. Keeper and defense
First, the keeper. Kepa Arrizabalaga has not lived up to the high expectations heaped upon him when the largest ever price for a keeper was paid for his services. It’s not his fault that so much was paid; that was Chelsea’s’ decision. He unfortunately haven’t performed, so it’s best for both Chelsea and Arrizabalaga that he be sold. The fact is that Chelsea will lose money on any transaction involving the keeper, regardless of how brilliant Marina Granovskaia is. Chelsea’s best move is to take the loss, acquire a top keeper to replace Arrizabalaga and move on.
There are also expendable players in the defense that Chelsea can cash in on. Emerson has clearly fallen out of favor with Lampard, so he’s the one most likely to be sold. Inter Milan is interested as he fits Antonio Conte’s style of play better than Lampard’s. Emerson’s offloading would mean money in the acquisition fund.
The other option is Marcos Alonso. He also fits Conte’s system, maybe even better than Emerson, but Alonso is valuable as a squad player for Chelsea. In addition, he has a knack for scoring on set pieces—a unique skill few others on the Blues have—and can play in a back three. He also provides depth at left back. Therefore, the Blues should hold onto Alonso.
The central defense will also need a shake up. Andreas Christensen is one of the defenders who could be on the chopping block. He has not been a staple in the defense under Lampard and he isn’t likely to be in the future either. Christensen is a solid player, but he doesn’t do any one thing particularly well. He performed well on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach in the past, so the Bundesliga could be a landing spot if Chelsea sells the Dane.
Kurt Zouma is also a question mark. At times, he looks like a star and other times, not so much. He has a few talents, he’s terrific in the air and is always good for a last-ditch tackle. Having talents like that is a real plus, especially when it’s traits the Blues need. Yet, his inconsistency is a big headache for Lampard. Therefore, Chelsea should keep his often partner Antonio Rudiger as a squad player and either commit to starting Zouma or sell him. He is starter quality; if not at Chelsea in Lampard’s system, then surely somewhere else.
Zouma will attract interest and a fair sum of money. He’s young, experienced and great in the air defensively. If Lampard doesn’t intend to start Zouma along with a new acquisition, he should just be sold and Chelsea should move on. Also, a loan of Fikayo Tomori is in order and rightfully so. He couldn’t break through at Chelsea last season and a Premier League loan may be helpful to his development. Not big money, but even £1 million helps out.
2. Midfield
Chelsea has decent depth in midfield if the Blues can stay healthy, which is a big ‘if’ because they haven’t been able to. Rumors are beginning to circle about a sale of the defensive midfielder, N’Golo Kante. The first inclination is that he should be kept because when healthy, he’s the best at his position in the world. Yet, if Chelsea gets a major offer, it may be difficult to say no given his ongoing issues staying healthy and his age. Either way, the club wins as they get a lump sum of cash or Kante stays on—the situation could be a lot worse, for sure.
Jorginho is one of the Blues’ midfielders who should definitely be sold. He is a very good player, but the 28-year-old just doesn’t fit Lampard’s quick, attacking style of football. That’s no knock on Jorginho. In the right system, Maurizio Sarri’s or something similar, he is the linchpin between defense and the attack. Unfortunately for him, his time in London looks to be up.
Chelsea is not going to recoup the £50-or-so million pounds it took to sign Jorginho in the first place, but the possibility may exist that it may recoup £30 or 40 million. That should be good enough in a stagnant post-Coronavirus market. In the end, that money adds to the transfer fund and moves a player on who isn’t a part of Lampard’s future plans.
Another midfield candidate to depart is also Ross Barkley. The 26-year-old is a solid attacking midfielder, but he will not start. Barkley is a very good substitute when called upon later in a game or in cup games because he can provide experience and playmaking abilities off the bench. He may end up staying, but is not considered the most likely to leave after Sarri’s sacking at Juventus impacted the Jorginho market. Either way, a haul of £15 to 20 million should be available; the Blues should take the money and run.
3. Forwards
In attack, both Willian and Pedro have left the club after incredibly successful careers in west London. Great additions have already been made and more may still be on the way, but with injuries and rest issues, a club can never have too many attackers. Locks to stay are Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech and Tammy Abraham. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Olivier Giroud should also be in that category (as Mount is considered an attacking midfielder for this discussion).
One player who should surely be sold is Michy Batshuayi. He is a talented striker, but it just never came together for him at Chelsea. A decent return of £10-20 million would be nice as again, this adds solid funding to the transfer coffers.
4. Other players
In addition to the aforementioned, there are others players who are currently away from the team who should be sold, as well. This list includes players like Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta. Whatever Chelsea can get for them would be a welcome addition to the war chest. Drinkwater’s loss will be especially difficult as he was a late window signing for about £35 million a few seasons ago. That signing is regarded as one of the worst in recent memory because he never fit into the squad under any of its managers and never really contributed a thing. Stuff like this happens to any team in football at every level. In those cases, it is best just to accept the loss, move on and try not to repeat the same mistake in the future.
Those are some ideas on players to sell to help raise funds in the current window. Moving on from players who are surplus to team needs makes great sense in any transfer window. This provides new players with as much time as possible to begin acclimating to the squad as they get to Cobham—or wherever the departures are training—for the start of the new season. There will be more additions on the way and in sum, these will be very big changes for Chelsea in this window.
What moves would you make if you were in charge of the roster overhaul? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!