Lukaku DONE but Chelsea still have NINE issues to resolve before transfer deadline

Robin Bairner

• 31 Aug 2023 11:42 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea are in for a busy few hours before the end of the transfer window, with the Blues still having numerous deals to conduct.

The Stamford Bridge side have announced that Romelu Lukaku has joined Serie A side on a season-long loan, but that Belgium international is simply the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Mauricio Pochettino’s side need to tidy up.

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Lukaku, admittedly, was a significant problem. His sizeable wage was weighing down the club while he had made it amply clear he wanted to leave. A lack of suitors was an issue, with Inter and Juventus both unsuitable, with the player burning his bridges with the former and latter unable to afford him.

So, one big issue sorted: what’s next?

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What do Chelsea have to do before the transfer window shuts?

First up, Chelsea want to complete the signing of Manchester City youngster Cole Palmer. Palmer has shone in his relatively fleeting appearances with the Cityzens but is set to cost a princely fee of £40 million.

It represents something of a gamble for the Blues, but they have not shied away from such a challenge since Todd Boehly’s takeover.

More complicated, but arguably just as important for Financial Fair Play (FFP), are players leaving the club.

Marc Cucurella is set to leave for Manchester United on loan in a deal that looks likely to happen, according to the Evening Standard’s Nizaar Kinsella.

Conor Gallagher has interest in him, most notably from Tottenham. Kinsella reports that any deal depends on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

Furthermore, Trevoh Chalobah is still of interest to Bayern Munich, where Thomas Tuchel is a big fan of the player, yet there is a risk of this deal collapsing due to the price tag and his injury troubles.

On top of this, the futures of Ian Maatsen, Lucas Bergstrom and recent addition Deivid Washington need to be resolved, with loans possible for all three.

Furthermore, there are additional players in the Chelsea squad who would ideally move away, most notably Malang Sarr and goalkeeper Jamie Cumming, who Pochettino managed to forget when quizzed about them lately.