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Chelsea need to balance their books by shipping off many unwanted players before summer deadline day on September 1, and there are many candidates for the chopping block.
Arne Slot and Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca has already sent a clear message to certain men with his official Club World Cup squad, which notably doesn't include some pretty big names.
Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Ben Chilwell, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja and Axel Disasi all missed out on a place in Chelsea's ranks for the CWC, with loanee Carney Chukuwuemeka actually permitted to feature for Borussia Dortmund at the tournament.
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Chelsea's best performers in the Premier League last season Average match rating
Cole Palmer 7.33
Moises Caicedo 7.02
Enzo Fernández 6.95
Nicolas Jackson 6.88
Noni Madueke 6.82
via WhoScored
All the aforementioned players are very much on Chelsea's 'for sale' list (The Athletic), while the likes of Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have also been linked with Stamford Bridge exits recently.
Arsenal hold an interest in signing Madueke, and are seriously considering the possibility of adding yet another ex-Chelsea player to their ranks almost immediately after they sealed a £5 million deal for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
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Meanwhile, reports in Italy claim Juventus and Napoli are targeting Jackson, and the prospect of him leaving west London is a very real one.
High-earning England international Raheem Sterling is also out of Maresca's long-term plans, and Chelsea will be very keen to trim his £325,000-per-week salary off the books, nearly three years after they signed him in a £50 million deal from Man City.
The 30-year-old is now back from an underwhelming loan spell at Arsenal, having failed to make his mark as a regular for Mikel Arteta, and it is hard to envisage any domestic club being willing to pay a significant fee for the ex-City star.
Perhaps the best solution will come from abroad, with Turkish Süper Lig giants Besiktas now registering a serious interest in Sterling and providing BlueCo with an avenue to pursue an exit deal.
Raheem Sterling in talks to join Besiktas from Chelsea
According to reports from Spain, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are now actively trying to sign the former Liverpool forward as they look to make a statement for their new manager - who signed an 18-month deal to join them in January.
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It is believed that Bestikas are in talks for Sterling, and negotiations are at an "advanced" stage, but the fees involved in a potential move haven't been made clear.
Nevertheless, a move could be finalised "in the coming days", so it may be one to keep an eye on. Sterling, right now, is at a real crossroads in his career, and he'll be considering the best move possible to give himself a chance of competing for a place in Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The jury is out on whether a move to Turkey would be the best way to elevate his England chances, but clubs in the Süper Lig may be among the only sides in world football who could realistically afford Sterling's wages, or make an offer even close to them.