Chelsea enters the summer transfer window with an oversized squad and a new manager who has no intention of doing things by halves. Despite an already very active transfer window, Xabi Alonso has quickly sent an unequivocal message to his board: the squad-trimming must accelerate.
An extraordinary squad size in urgent need of reduction
The London club currently has nearly forty players under contract, making it one of the most bloated squads in England. The summer signings — among them Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and Palestra — have further densified the competition, particularly at centre-back where Chelsea now fields around ten specialists.
At a press conference ahead of the friendly match against Tottenham, the Spanish manager was explicit: he only wishes to start the season with four or five centre-backs. A target that makes several departures inevitable in the coming weeks.
Badiashile, Disasi, Chalobah in the firing line
Several names are already being linked with a departure from Stamford Bridge. Benoît Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Trevoh Chalobah are among the most serious candidates for a transfer. Other players could also be pushed towards the exit to lighten a group deemed too unwieldy.
Jackson, however, is going nowhere
On a far more reassuring note, Xabi Alonso has put an end to uncertainty surrounding Nicolas Jackson. Despite persistent rumours around the Senegalese striker, the Spanish manager confirmed that he is counting fully on him for the upcoming season.
The direction is therefore clearly set: having invested heavily in the market, Chelsea must now sell in order to build a more cohesive squad, capable of meeting the demands of its new manager.
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