These two Chelsea defenders are up for sale - correct decision for the Blues team?

It is no secret that Chelsea FC will need to offload some of its talent in this summer transfer window if it is to stay within FFP/PSR boundaries. It seems the most likely way the Blues will make some capital back is through the selling of players in the back line. These two defenders could be on the chopping block for good or worse.  

First on the transfer list, according to a report from The Telegraph, is Trevoh Chalobah, the 24-year-old defender. Chalobah joined Chelsea at the age of eight, before completing a multitude of loan spells on his way to his Chelsea debut in 2021 in the UEFA Super Cup against Villareal. Since his first appearance for Chelsea, Chalobah played in 48 Premier League matches in three years, and 21 other times in different competitions.  

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Chelsea has been ready to sell the English center-back for the last two windows. In the summer of 2023, Bayern Munich moved for Chalobah, but the deal fell through with the sides unable to find a fee that worked. Again, in the past winter transfer window Nottingham Forest agreed to a deal that would buy the Englishmen for over £25m per Fabrizio Romano, but the deal failed again this time due to the player not wanting to prove himself at the Blues.  

Now, for a third straight transfer window, it looks as if Chalobah could be on the move once again and this is the right move. The defender is in a tough spot battling injuries and the likes of Levi Colwill, Thiago Silva, and Axel Disasi for playing time. And there isn’t a world where he is starting for a top-of-the-line Premier League team. As Chalobah sees less of the field, his market value goes down. Just a few months ago, per Fabrizio Romano, the defender was reportedly going to Nottingham Forrest for £25m, now the Daily Mail believes Chelsea will only get £13m. If Chelsea is to hold onto Chalobah for another year, it is likely the defender will continue to struggle to get onto the pitch and could end up leaving for free.  

Another player Chelsea will test the transfer waters with is Marc Cucurella, according to the BBC. The Spanish international joined the Blues in the summer of 2022 for £52.5m from Brighton per Fabrizio Romano. Cucurella was fresh off an excellent season in the Premier League winning Brighton’s Player of the Season Award. This success unfortunately did not continue with the London side, as he struggled to find consistent playing time ahead of Ben Chilwell amongst others.  

Cucurella’s expected transfer fee is anyone's guess as of right now, but it is believed Chelsea will take a large loss for the defender just two years after buying him. This transfer, unlike Chalobah, does not make as much sense. Yes, the Blues need to make money this summer, but the left-back role is one of the weakest points of the team right now. Why take a huge loss on a player who joined the club just to buy another player in the same position? I believe that Curcurella can shine if given the opportunity. He’s shown flashes at Chelsea and in recent international stints with Spain.  

Unlike Chalobah, Cucurella’s market value could rise if given proper time to prove himself. There isn’t a reason that his play should be so drastically different from his time at Brighton to Chelsea. Unless a big-money move comes in from Saudi, the Blues should keep the Spaniard for at least another transfer window.