Chelsea have found their way into the most important phase of their summer rebuild, with a number of forward players earmarked for departure before the transfer window closes on September 1. Pedro Neto sits at the top of that list, but chances of an exit have diminished due to his transfer value. The Blues have reportedly placed a prohibitive valuation of £100 million on the winger, which will deter any admirers.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Jackson has been assigned a £65 million price tag. The Senegal forward has returned to Chelsea after his loan spell at Bayern Munich was not converted into a permanent transfer. There is interest in Jackson, especially from Aston Villa, who are among the suitors monitoring the striker’s Stamford Bridge situation. However, the Villans can’t move for Jackson due to UEFA’s strict rules governing player exchanges. Morgan Rogers left the Midlands outfit for Chelsea earlier this summer, and a move in the other direction for Jackson would count as a swap.
Liam Delap is also another forward whose time at Stamford Bridge seems to be nearing a quiet end. With Chelsea seeking a more attainable £50 million for his services, the former Ipswich striker could find a more straightforward exit route. Premier League clubs have reportedly shown interest in his services, but it is uncertain if they would be entirely willing to sign him at that fee.
Finally, there’s Marc Guiu, who has been valued at a much lower £25 million. It is not certain that he will move to another club this summer, as suitors have not thrown themselves at him. Instead, we could potentially see the 20-year-old commence the campaign while still in West London.
Xabi Alonso Declines to Specify His Ideal Chelsea Squad Size
There’s no surprise in the potential exits that could happen this summer, with Xabi Alonso working on trimming a rather bloated squad. The manager joined the Blues ahead of the new season, inheriting over 30 senior professionals as he assumed control at Cobham.
He has already sanctioned major sales this summer, with players like Andrey Santos and Marc Cucurella joining Manchester United and Real Madrid respectively. Others, such as Tyrique George and Trevoh Chalobah, have also left the club. Speaking to the press during his tour Down Under, Xabi Alonso refused to reveal a definitive figure for the squad size he’s hoping to manage this season. He said:
“Not too long, not too short. What is the number? I can’t give you that number, but for sure we need to have options.”
Aside from options to manage against injury attrition, Chelsea do need a trim squad. The Blues will be absent from European football this season, which means that any players outside Xabi Alonso’s preferred lineups will not find any playing time.