Chelsea to sell EIGHT to fund Club World Cup spending spree

Tom Weber

Updated: 16 Mar 2025 05:40 CDT
3 min read

Chelsea are getting their summer business done very early in anticipation of the Club World Cup.

It is only March and Chelsea have already completed two signings. Sporting CP youngsters Geovany Quenda and Dario Essugo are set the join the Blues for an outlay in the region of €60 million to €70m.

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Although Quenda will only arrive in 2026, Essugo will join in the summer and he is expected to be immediately integrated into the first team as a backup option to Moises Caicedo.

Additionally, Andrey Santos will return from his successful loan spell at Strasbourg to play a key role as an attack-minded midfielder in Enzo Maresca's side. In his stead, Chelsea will send January arrival Mathis Amougou to their French sister club.

Chelsea will also finally welcome wonderkids Kendry Paez, signed in 2023, and Estevao, signed in 2024, to the club. The latter has been earmarked for a key role in the side.

© IMAGO - FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and the Club World Cup trophy

Chelsea will take Club World Cup seriously

There is a good reason for Chelsea looking to get their business done early - very early - this year. According to Ben Jacobs, it is due to the packed schedule and, particularly, due to the summer's Club World Cup.

Chelsea will take FIFA's new-look tournament seriously and try to win the trophy, which would result in a windfall to the tune of at least €100 million. However, Chelsea will not rely entirely on these funds.

In addition to Quenda and Essugo, Chelsea are also looking to sign a big-money striker and a centre-back, while another winger could also potentially arrive.

To pay for this spending spree, sales will have to be made. Jacobs and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano expect some significant personnel turnover at Chelsea once more this year.

Indeed, Romano says that Chelsea could look to offload 'seven or eight' players this summer. Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, David Datro Fofana, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell are all candidates to be sold.