- 7 hours ago
Revealed: The NINE players set to leave Chelsea on loan this summer
Cameron Smith
- 25 Jul 2023 22:27 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea’s list of summer departures could be extended by a further nine names once they return from their pre-season tour of the United States of America.
The Blues have already seen 12 players depart on permanent transfer so far this summer - including Cobham academy graduate Mason Mount and club legends N’Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta - with Mauricio Pochettino’s squad trimmed down to an acceptable level.
Last season, the west London club had arguably the most bloated squad in world football and major steps have been taken to reduce the number of players on the books.
MORE: Premier League 2023/24 summer transfers: All the Done Deals
This could be taken one step further by loaning out up to nine young talents once the Blues conclude their Premier League Summer Series fixtures.
According to the Evening Standard’s Nizaar Kinsella, nine Chelsea youngsters could be set for loan moves away next campaign. Omari Hutchinson, Charlie Webster and David Datro Fofana have already left on season-long loan deals, to Ipswich Town, Heerenveen and Union Berlin respectively.
Kinsella has reported that Dylan Williams, Harvey Vale, Tino Anjorin, Bashir Humphreys, Alfie Gilchrist, Lucas Bergstrom, Jamie Cumming and Mason Burstow and Cesare Casadei could all depart on loan this year.
Casadei has garnered interest from Leicester, but his impressive pre-season performances may have convinced Pochettino to keep him in the first-team set-up for the 2023/24 campaign. Furthermore, Chelsea’s push to sell Conor Gallagher could further improve the chances that the Italian stays at Stamford Bridge.
In addition, Wesley Fofana’s injury and the recruitment team’s desire to offload Trevoh Chalobah could result in Humphreys given a first-team role, rather than head out on loan, this term. The centre-back spent the second-half of last season at Paderborn in the second-tier of German football.
Chelsea lose talented youngsters
In addition to the young stars set to be loaned out, Chelsea have seen defenders Dujon Sterling and Henry Lawrence join Rangers and Standard Liege respectively, while midfielder Ben Elliott is wanted by Lorient.
Bryan Fiabema is on the verge of signing for Real Sociedad, according to Fabrizio Romano, while Silko Thomas is in talks with Leicester, according to Kinsella. Chelsea have already lost exciting winger Tudor Mendel-Idowu after he rejected a contract extension.
