Chelsea are set to part ways with three home-grown stars including Conor Gallagher this summer as they bid to continue their novel approach to the transfer market under Todd Boehly and co.
Changes expected in west London
It has been a strange couple of years at Chelsea, with Todd Boehly and their new owners having seemingly ripped up the transfer playbook to start all over again. They own the youngest squad in world football and some of the most exciting talents across the globe, but have spent huge amounts to do so.
Clearly a long-term project, teenage talents like Omari Hutchinson, Carney Chukwuemeka and Lesley Ugochukwu are among those signed to long term deals in west London, while they have also broken the British transfer record twice in order to land midfield duo Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo in deals worth £225m combined.
In the short term though, it is failing spectacularly. Currently, Chelsea sit 11th in the Premier League under the guiding hand of Mauricio Pochettino, four points outside a European qualification spot for next season and with just one more win to their name (11) than losses (10) this season.
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Though they are on a five game unbeaten run, their most recent draw against 10-man Burnley was met with boos by the Stamford Bridge faithful, and Pochettino has found himself increasingly unpopular. There is also the issue of financial fair play. The Blues have spent such hefty amounts that it is expected they need to raise around £100m before signings every summer for the foreseeable future, a hefty sum to need on a yearly basis.
As a result, there are plenty of exits expected this summer. There has even been recent speculation that Reece James could be on the departure list, though this seems incredibly unlikely.
Gallagher among trio set to raise funds
Chelsea are already set to receive some of that required £100m through the deal to send Lewis Hall to Newcastle, which will net them £28m, while Ian Maatsen's loan to Borussia Dortmund contains a £35m option to buy that could see them net further money.
But even that won't be enough, and with homegrown talents counting for pure profit on accounting sheets, they are preparing to rid themselves of three this summer.
The first of those is Conor Gallagher, who transfer reporter Pete O'Rourke claims is 'definitely' leaving this summer despite his contract running until 2025 and Gallagher having expressed his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge.
He is the subject of widespread Premier League interest, and could fetch a hefty fee. But he is not the only one set to leave. The same journalist claims that he 'definitely expects' both on-loan striker Armando Broja and defender Trevoh Chalobah to be moved on this summer in a bid to raise further money to reinvest in the squad.
Chelsea's 'homegrown' players in their first team
Player
Contract expiry
Conor Gallagher
2025
Reece James
2028
Levi Colwill
2029
Alfie Gilchrist
2025
Trevoh Chalobah
2028
Armando Broja
2028
Broja's loan has not gone to plan, with the striker finding himself behind in-form striker Rodrigo Muniz at Fulham and his transfer value continuing to drop. Meanwhile, Chalobah has suffered with injuries through much of the season and has rarely been called upon by Pochettino as a result. The trio plus Hall's sale would likely raise in excess of the £100m figure needed, navigating the first part of Chelsea's risky strategy.