Sunderland have officially signed Chelsea forward Marc Guiu on a season-long loan, with further exits touted.
Boss Enzo Maresca will lead his side out at Stamford Bridge against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday in the club's first pre-season friendly, and the head coach will be pleased to have so many options available to him in his squad.
The Blues have spent close to £250m this summer, with eight players signed, including a number of offensive stars like Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.
After spending so heavily in the market and on so many forwards, it is not surprising that the Londoners have looked to move players such as Guiu on.
The 19-year-old was signed for £5m from Barcelona last summer and only played 16 times for Chelsea in 2024-25, but he is unlikely to be the only one to leave the club by the time the window closes.
Chelsea's Marc Guiu pictured on January 11, 2025
Who else could Chelsea sell this summer transfer window?
Given strikers Pedro and Delap have signed, it is hard to envisage Nicolas Jackson staying this summer as third choice.
The Senegalese forward scored 10 Premier League goals last season and has been frequently criticised for his poor finishing ability.
Despite his inconsistencies, the striker has reportedly emerged as a target for Newcastle United, who have missed out on a number attacking targets.
Christopher Nkunku has suffered a number of injuries at Stamford Bridge, and he has so far failed to impress since joining in the summer of 2023.
Winger Raheem Sterling was on loan at Arsenal last term, but the Gunners opted against making the deal permanent, and the Englishman is unlikely to have a future under Maresca.
Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson in action on January 25, 2025
Do Chelsea still have too many forward players?
When examining the teams that regularly compete for Europe's top prizes, it is common to see clubs boasting more first-team level stars in the forwad line than there are positions available in the XI.
European champions Paris Saint-Germain have Ousmane Dembele, Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue for three positions up front, while Liverpool are targeting Alexander Isak despite having already signed striker Hugo Ekitike this summer.
Out of context, bolstering Maresca's attacking options with the potential arrivals of Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho makes sense, but given that the Blues already have the likes of Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Willian Estevao and more in their ranks, some fans have been left puzzled by the club's transfer activity.
Chelsea must be careful not to bloat their squad with an overabundance of attackers, as they risk stifling the development of the young stars already at Stamford Bridge.
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