Exits: Christopher Nkunku and Joao Felix are both expected to leave Chelsea this summer
Chelsea Football Newsletter
The Blues intend to offload a number of players before the September 1 deadline and Standard Sport understands that a mixture of sales and loan exits are currently being planned.
Felix is not part of the club’s plans moving forward. Chelsea’s hierarchy want the high salary off their wage bill and the player sold, with no desire to send him out on loan again.
Felix returned to Chelsea in a £46.3million deal from Atletico Madrid last August but ended up joining AC Milan on loan in January after failing to earn regular game time.
The 25-year-old is wanted by Benfica, where he began his senior career. He is keen to reunite with former Wolves manager Bruno Lage, who is in charge at the Estadio da Luiz again after previously helping to bring Felix through as manager of Benfica B and subsequently coaching the first team during the attacker’s formative years in senior football.
It has been reported that Chelsea have set a £35m asking price for Felix but that Benfica want to purchase only 50 per cent of his rights for half that amount.
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“If we could bring back players from our academy who have the quality and prominence that a player like Joao has, we would all like that,” Costa said. “All Benfica fans would like that.
“The amounts involved, both in transfers and salaries, are very high and we have to respect that part.”
Another player likely to leave Chelsea is Christopher Nkunku, who featured during the Blues’ successful Club World Cup campaign but is still expected to depart this summer. He was previously offered to Manchester United in a player swap for Alejandro Garnacho that did not go through.
Reasonable offers will be considered for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but the former Leicester midfielder has not been transfer-listed. A decision may be taken to send academy graduate Tyrique George out on loan, though he could also yet stay with the first-team squad.
Djordje Petrovic underwent a medical at Bournemouth on Monday ahead of a £25m move. Fellow goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has already left Chelsea after Arsenal triggered his £5m release clause.
Midfielder Mathis Amougou only signed an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge in February after leaving Saint-Etienne but has already been sold, leaving Chelsea to join their sister club Strasbourg on a permanent basis last week.
Chelsea are also prioritising the sale of a number of high earners not in Enzo Maresca’s plans. The list includes Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga and Axel Disasi, as well as Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu and Armando Broja.