Maresca is considering selling a key playerplaceholder image
Maresca is considering selling a key player | Wolves via Getty Images
Chelsea could still sell one of their most valuable players this summer.
Chelsea are still concentrating on sales as they look to fund more incoming business between now and the end of the summer. Jorrel Hato arrived at Stamford Bridge in recent days, and it seems Enzo Maresca has two remaining targets when it comes to new signings.
Chelsea have already been fined around £27million by UEFA for their unbalanced spending, and they have been warned that more of the same will cost them a further £52million in fines. It seems the West London club have taken heed, with a clear emphasis being placed on outgoings after the signings of Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
Exits have already been sanctioned, and there are more to come, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christopher Nkunku and Carney Chukwuemeka all near the front of the queue. Another player who could leave is striker Nicolas Jackson, who was vital last season.
But Jackson is a starting striker, and the signings of Delap and Pedro complicate that status, potentially leading to a sale, but only if the right offer comes in.
David Ornstein wrote for The Athletic: “The Stamford Bridge side are not desperate to trade the 24-year-old, especially given they require depth ahead of contesting Champions League football next season.
“But the arrival of Delap and Joao Pedro provides competition and puts Jackson at risk of not being the primary front man, and after scoring 30 goals across 81 games in west London, he will want to be the main man somewhere.
“That explains why Chelsea are open to sanctioning the Senegal international’s departure if an acceptable proposal arrives. Interest stems from suitors in both the Premier League and Europe. Some of them want Jackson only if their key target cannot be obtained, or someone leaves; others in addition to what they already have.
“Either way, there is a growing expectation that he will exit, and developments on that case are anticipated in the coming days. It would continue a remarkable sequence of sales completed or agreed by Chelsea, which mean they will have accumulated more than £200million in the current transfer window. They are forecasting another £100m to £150m before the deadline.”
Jackson’s situation is one that could remain open for much of the remaining transfer window, especially given the Blues are not necessarily pushing for a sale at this point. Ultimately, Chelsea have enough players to sell to where they can still get the money they need without offloading Jackson.
The Blues also face the dilemma of having to replace Jackson if he does move on, and that will be no cheap task, especially with the amount of striker business being done by top clubs around Europe this summer.
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