The most improved Premier League squad in terms of both quality and depth, Chelsea’s summer signings make them one of the frontrunners for the league this season behind Manchester City and Liverpool. The addition of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz will undoubtedly strengthen their attack while the acquisitions of Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell are likely to shore up the defence. However, the mass influx of players at Chelsea is certain to make some players surplus to requirement and here we look at a few individuals that the west Londoners may look to offload before the transfer window closes.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
A part of the Chelsea academy from the tender age of eight, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is blue through and through and has risen through the ranks at the club. After playing in all the youth levels for the west Londoners, Loftus-Cheek made his debut for the senior team in 2014 but his progress since has been severely hampered, primarily due to injuries. Having impressed while on a loan spell at Crystal Palace in the 2017-18 season, he returned to Chelsea for the following campaign and made 24 appearances, finding the back of the net six times. Unfortunately for him, another injury and the subsequent lack of game time has seen him fall down the pecking order. Add to that Chelsea’s shiny new signings and it’s easy to see why Loftus-Cheek’s future is most likely away from his boyhood club.
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Callum Hudson-Odoi is another product of Chelsea’s academy who has found himself on the fringes of the first team since an injury. An exciting and flamboyant winger who has played for England at all levels, including the senior team, Hudson-Odoi joined Chelsea in 2007 and made his debut for the club in the 2018–19 season under former manager Maurizio Sarri. After impressing fans and pundits alike during the limited opportunities he received under Sarri, the young wideman attracted interest from German giants Bayern Munich. However, Chelsea offered him a new and improved contract to ward off interest from Bayern. Hudson-Odoi, though, following his new contract has been underwhelming and it has resulted in him mostly being on the bench. With Bayern and other clubs still interested in the player, coupled with Chelsea’s new attacking talents, Hudson-Odoi’s moving away from Chelsea isn’t too difficult to fathom.
Emerson
Emerson Palmieri dos Santos joined Chelsea during the January transfer window of the 2017-18 season. An all-action left-back who loves to get forward and make a telling difference in the attacking third, Emerson never managed to establish himself in the first team after his arrival. The 26-year-old has gone to make just 30 Premier League appearances for the Blues since his arrival and only four of those appearances have ended in a clean sheet for the club. Undoubtedly a good attacking talent, it’s his defensive qualities that have let him down at Chelsea. Mostly used as a back-up option for Marcos Alonso, Emerson’s chances of game time have dwindled even further after the signing of English left-back Chilwell, who is expected to become the club’s first-choice left-back. With Alonso and Chilwell expected to fight for the left-back berth, the writing is on the wall for Emerson.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Oliver Greenwood
