There is only one game of the season to go and for Chelsea, they have no real connection to it. Unlike with Ian Maatsen in the Champions League final last year, there is nobody really of note to watch out for on Saturday in Munich.
So that brings to an end the 2024/25 campaign. Chelsea used 29 players in total in the Premier League with 26 of those making at least one start. Three managed over 3,000 minutes, whilst 25 managed at least five appearances.
Of the 29 mentioned, four did not play after January. Mykhailo Mudryk was (and remains) suspended after testing positive for having a banned substance in his system. Three others were sent away on loan.
They joined a cohort of 11 senior (ish) players already on loans across Europe. There were mid-season switches and much needed changes for some. That has all come to a conclusion, though.
Chelsea's loan army remains a large one and this season more than usual, a collection of failed first-teamers more than simply young hopefuls. How have they all faired, and what is next? football.london has a brief review and what could be next for each of them at Chelsea.
Axel Disasi - Lost out on a Champions League spot with Aston Villa on the final day of the season. Chelsea will look to sell him this summer but will struggle to make back the £35million spent.
Disasi had a good loan after January, playing 13 league games and three of the four in the Champions League as well. He did lose his space in the team by the end. Sell
Joao Felix - Scored in his last two games for Milan but it wasn't enough to end a poor spell. Came off the bench in the Italian Cup final only to lose and saw another manager sacked during his time there.
Chelsea will surely look to move him on permanently after a disastrous £45million transfer last summer. Felix is running out of European clubs to go to and is four years removed from his last impressive season. Sell
Lesley Ugochukwu -Ended up being a regular at Southampton after Russel Martin was sacked in December. Only played in one league win all season.
Chelsea picked him up for £22million and have since bolstered their midfield ranks. The 21-year-old faces a battle to get near the first team and will surely need to consider his future now. Could become a perennial loanee. Sell
Andrey Santos - The jewel of European loan deals. Santos excelled again for RC Strasbourg and captained them at points under Liam Rosenior. Scored 10 goals in Ligue 1 but agonisingly missed out on Champions League and Europa League qualification on the final day.
He will be back at Chelsea over the summer and seeking serious game time under Maresca. At £13million, Chelsea have a star on their hands and have played this one perfectly. The only question is whether he could have helped them out this season. Keep
Raheem Sterling - As far as poor deals go, this is a big one. Sterling did play 28 times for Arsenal but clocked less than 1,300 minutes with only a single Carabao Cup goal to show. He did manage five assists across all competitions but none came in meaningful matches.
Chelsea will need to find a way to shift Sterling and his mammoth wages over the summer. After a £45million outlay, it will be a challenge. Sell
Ben Chilwell - Finally an FA Cup winner after Wembley heartbreak on two occasions with Chelsea. Chilwell was a bit-part player for Crystal Palace but looked to enjoy himself nonetheless.
All parties will aligned in moving on this summer. Chelsea won't get anywhere near the £50million they paid for him in 2020 and Chilwell will have to accept much lower wages. At 28, if he can stay fit there is still a useful player there for Premier League sides. Sell
Djordje Petrovic -Along with Santos, Petrovic had one of the best loan seasons for players across Europe. He made 31 appearances for Strasbourg, keeping 10 clean sheets and only conceding 38 goals.
The Serbian will be assessed at Chelsea and will fancy his chances of getting a place in the side. Like Santos, fell agonisingly short of top level European football qualification but did get Strasbourg into the Conference League despite losses in the last two games. At £17million, Chelsea will surely either use Petrovic or sell him on. Keep
Carney Chukwuemeka - A loan that has started to sum up Chukwuemeka, unfortunately. The 21-year-old showed glimpses of talent at Borussia Dortmund but continued to struggle with injuries and only played 13 times. He scored once but only started a single league game.
Chelsea spent £15million on him and know there is serious quality there if he can be kept fit. A full loan season would do him a great deal of good. A sale would surely be explored but his £40million release clause is unlikely to be met on current evidence.Loan
Chelsea's Carney Chukwuemeka
Chelsea's Carney Chukwuemeka (Image: PA)
Armando Broja - The struggles continue for Broja, who suffered two lengthy injuries once more and failed to score at Everton. He made 11 appearances overall but only four of those were starts.
Two years ago Chelsea were looking at £30million at least in order to sanction a sale. Now they will be fortunate to get even half of that. Sell
Kepa Arrizabalaga - Quite a success story at Bournemouth. Kepa was Andoni Iraola's first choice keeper and played 35 times in total. He kept nine clean sheets in that time, conceding 43 goals.
After extending his contract last summer, Kepa is free to leave now. A £5million exit fee is there to get Chelsea some cash back from the £72million they spent on him in 2018. Kepa helped Bournemouth to ninth in the league and saw Omar Marmoush's goal of the season contender fly past him as well. Sell
Renato Veiga - Took advantage of his mid-season loan, playing 15 times for Juventus. Veiga started 14 of those and has earned himself a place in the Portugal squad as a centre-back.
Chelsea got him for cheap at £14million and will be fine with selling him for a profit over the summer. They were happy enough to consider a permanent exit in January.Sell
Deivid Washington - Completed an 18-month loan in January and finally got to playing at the end of March. Washington is yet to score since returning to Santos but has been in the team, although largely as a substitute.
He was signed for £17million and will turn 20 over the summer. His chances of making it at Stamford Bridge are already looking small. Loan
Caleb Wiley - After being hit with injury, Wiley settled eventually at Watford following problems in the first half of the season at Strasbourg. He only made 16 appearances all season, starting six of those.
The American full-back cost just £8million but appears to be a profit-making player rather than having any sort of future at Chelsea.Sell
Bashir Humphreys - Has already completed a permanent move to Burnley for £14million after being a mainstay in the side that won promotion back to the Premier League with Scott Parker. Burnley only conceded four goals in the league when Humphreys was on the field. Sold
Alfie Gilchrist - Helped Sheffield United make it to the play-offs and enjoyed a strong first full senior season. Hardly played after January due to injury and squad changes under Chris Wilder.
Proved himself as more than capable, though. It will be hard for him to breakthrough again at Chelsea with Josh Acheampong ahead in the pecking order. Sell
Mike Penders - Not technically a loan, Penders spent the season at Genk after Chelsea agreed to sign him last summer, a bit like they did with Estevao Willian. He completed a first full year of senior football and played regularly in 2025, impressing.
The £19-year-old cost £18million but is seen as one for the future. Chelsea will take an early look at him this summer but another few years away from the club is likely to follow. Loan
Loan review
Chelsea's bomb squad were left to seek late loans which has given a strange finality to most of these. It is largely made up of players who are unwanted but couldn't find a permanent home or those returning to compete in the squad.
Some have been signed under Clearlake Capital-Todd Boehly and simply not made the grade yet as youngsters. The striking thing is that £353million was spent on transfers to buy this group of 16 and that includes three academy graduates, who do not add anything to the price.
Of those who Chelsea will look to sell, there is £239million worth here, although Kepa's value is now £5million rather than £72million after the end of his initial contract fully amortised his cost in the book. The return on that figure across the club is going to be minimal.
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