Five players who could leave Chelsea this summer

Cameron Smith

16 Mar 2025 06:00 GMT
4 min read

Chelsea have spent over €1.2 billion on new signings since Clearlake Capital’s arrival in 2022, yet they still have several gaping holes in their squad and they are expected to make numerous big-money transfers this summer.

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The Blues kept their powder relatively dry in January, with Mathis Amougou the only new arrival, although that is set to change when the 2025 summer transfer window opens.

Furthermore, Enzo Maresca’s side are expected to confirm several departures as they look to trim down their first-team squad.

Below, FootballTransfers runs through five players who could leave Chelsea this summer.

Axel Disasi

Axel Disasi was sent on loan to Aston Villa in January and his career at Chelsea is seemingly over.

The Frenchman doesn’t suit Maresca’s style of play and given the number of defenders still at Stamford Bridge, he will almost certainly be sold this summer if an acceptable bid is submitted.

Villa may pursue a permanent move, while Tottenham Hotspur could rekindle their interest after failing to land him in January.

Joao Felix

Joao Felix also departed west London during the winter window and he has already admitted that he wants to join AC Milan on a permanent deal once his loan spell ends.

The Portugal international was only signed to ensure Conor Gallagher’s sale to Atletico Madrid went through, and his Chelsea nightmare will soon be over for good.

However, it remains to be seen if the Blues will be forced to accept a major loss on Felix, with most clubs around Europe boasting a limited transfer budget.

Christopher Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku was heavily tipped to leave Chelsea in January and although he remained at Stamford Bridge, a summer exit is certainly on the cards.

The ex-RB Leipzig star has failed to live up to expectations since his €60m transfer to the Premier League and he is firmly behind both Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer in the Chelsea pecking order.

Bayern Munich are eager to bring him back to Germany, while a return to Paris Saint-Germain has previously been mooted as a possibility.

Ben Chilwell

Enzo Maresca has openly admitted that Ben Chilwell doesn’t fit his football philosophy and the former England left-back is therefore set to leave Chelsea on a permanent deal this summer.

Chilwell joined Crystal Palace on loan in January and multiple Premier League clubs could be interested in picking him up permanently.

Another loan move could well take place if Chelsea fail to receive a suitable bid, with Chilwell unlikely to work his way back into the first-team fold under Maresca.

Carney Chukwuemeka

Carney Chukwuemeka is another player expected to depart Chelsea following a loan move away in January.

The talented midfielder is currently at Borussia Dortmund on a temporary basis, and although the Bundesliga giants do have an option-to-buy clause, Chukwuemeka is set to leave Chelsea regardless of whether Dortmund want to keep him.

Crystal Palace are known admirers of the Englishman, while Barcelona have previously been tipped as surprise candidates to sign him.