Despite the external noise, Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior remains adamant that his key players are settled and committed to the cause. Rosenior, who replaced Enzo Maresca earlier this year, has emphasised the strong personal bonds he has built with his squad as a reason for his optimism regarding player retention.
"I have a very, very good relationship with the players because we speak all the time," he explained. "Not just about football, or the situation with their contracts, but about their life, how their kids are, how school is. I have a very, very close relationship with Enzo and with the other players.
"In terms of contracts and where they want to be, there's not one player at this club since I've been here that has said that he doesn't want to be here in the summer. In fact, the conversations are more about how we improve, what we can do as a group to improve, what we need to do to win in this moment. That's where we are at the moment."