Suraj Radia
Christopher Nkunku, Chelsea
© IMAGO
Chelsea have slowly begun to silence the doubters of their transfer strategy, with Enzo Maresca making a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge this season.
The Blues sit second in the Premier League, having slowly accustomed to getting the best out of their young squad and rotating heavily between all competitions.
However, with the January transfer window fast approaching, Chelsea are likely to make moves as they continue to wheel and deal to try and gain an advantage over their rivals.
FootballTransfers takes a look at five players who could LEAVE Chelsea this winter.
Cesare Casadei
Chelsea still have a number of forgotten stars in their large squad and Cesare Casadei is likely to be a casualty in January, having not seen any significant action this season.
The 21-year-old signed for the Blues in 2022 and had loan spells at Reading and Leicestger but he has never been able to make his mark on the Chelsea first team.
Multiple Italian and European sides are already understood to have enquired about Casadei and he could be an early exit in January if Chelsea can recoup close to the €15 million they paid for him.
Ben Chilwell
Having once been an England international and considered the future of Chelsea’s left-back spot, Ben Chilwell’s stock has seen a massive decline since the arrival of Maresca in the summer.
Chilwell was one player who Chelsea were unable to sell in the summer and he has since been reintegrated from the ‘bomb squad’ into the first team, although the 27-year-old has played just 45 minutes of football this season – against League Two side Barrow in the Carabao Cup.
Chelsea are still desperate to sell Chilwell and will listen to any offers for one of the club’s top earners but it remains to be seen if any teams are willing to bite after opting against a move in the last window.
Ben Chilwell is out in the cold at Chelsea.
© IMAGO - Ben Chilwell is out in the cold at Chelsea.
Carney Chukwuemeka
Like Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka was another player who was told he could leave Chelsea in the summer but the youngster was determined to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge.
However, Chukwuemeka has also only featured in the cups and the 21-year-old is desperate for game time to progress his development, having already had numerous struggles with injury since his move from Aston Villa in 2022.
The likes of Barcelona and Milan have been linked to Chukwuemeka in a loan deal, something which could appease Chelsea on the chance that the midfielder captures his best form with some regular first team action.
Axel Disasi
Another defender on the chopping block could be Axel Disasi, with the 26-year-old finding himself on the fringes of Maresca’s side this season.
The Frenchman has only made three Premier League appearances, instead being a regular in cup competitions, and the emergence of Josh Acheampong has only hindered his chances of gametime going forward.
Axel Disasi has struggled for game time this season.
© IMAGO - Axel Disasi has struggled for game time this season.
With Chelsea having ample depth in defence, Disasi will likely be allowed to leave for the right offer but Maresca could also look to keep hold of his less-used players if the Blues continue to progress in the Europa Conference League.
Christopher Nkunku
Chelsea’s top scorer in all competitions is Christopher Nkunku but the Frenchman has made just two starts in the Premier League, with ten of his 12 goals this season coming in cup competitions.
Maresca has repeatedly insisted he wants to keep hold of Nkunku despite the player growing frustrated with his game time and Chelsea are not expected to part ways with the forward without a fight.
Having been linked to teams such as Manchester United, the right offer could tempt Chelsea into a sale, with the club understanding that Nkunku is too good to remain on the bench going into the second half of the season.
Read more about: Premier League, Aston Villa, Barcelona, Chelsea, Man Utd, Milan, Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Cesare Casadei, Christopher Nkunku, Josh Acheampong