The Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern have been found crying into their empty pint pots on a regular basis this season after a miserable campaign.
Success hasn’t looked on the card in a single competition and they are left with very little left to play for between now and the end of the season.
Italy boss Antonio Conte appears to be on his way to Stamford Bridge, once he has negotiated the European Championships and big changes appear to be on the horizon.
Talk among the group of Blues fans has turned towards which players will be moved on in the summer to make way for new recruits.
We tasked our writer Lee Clarke with choosing FIVE players who Conte should axe in order to begin his rebuilding process……
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE PLAYERS!
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Diego Costa
Chelsea striker Costa has appeared out of sorts at times this season which asks the question of whether or not he is truly happy at Stamford Bridge.
The Spain international has failed to scale the heights of last season and a move to his former club Atletico Madrid has been touted in recent weeks.
Whether Costa would want a return to play for the club he left just over two years ago remains to be seen, but incoming boss Antonio Conte needs to either get Costa firing again, or send him packing for the interests of the club.
Eden Hazard
The Belgian forward has looked a shadow of the player he was last season during the 2015/16 campaign and his form, and fitness, has been shoddy.
Hazard looks heavier than he was last season physically and mentally he is most certainly not happy at Stamford Bridge, at times looking completely disinterested.
Paris Saint-Germain have expressed a desire to take the 25-year-old across the channel and on his form of this season, Chelsea should snap their hand off regardless of the bid they make.
The player is class on his day but if his head isn’t at the club, then let him go and play elsewhere.
Thibaut Courtois
The Belgian stopper isn’t a bad goalkeeper by any stretch of the imagination but if Real Madrid, or anyone else for that matter, are prepared to pay a staggering £79 million for his services, then it is in the best interests of the club to let him leave.
Courtois was in inspired form last season as Chelsea eased to the Premier League title but has looked dodgy on occasions during this campaign.
With the funds raised for the player should he be sold, it would allow the Blues to bring in a goalkeeper who is arguably better than the 23-year-old.
Nemanja Matic
The Serbian midfielder has already departed Chelsea once before and his second wind in the Blues’ midfield looks set to be drawing to a close.
The 27-year-old hasn’t featured in the starting line-up anywhere near as often as he would have likes this season, and the re-emergence of Jon Obi Mikel has restricted his game time.
Matic would do a cracking job in most other Premier League teams and should the Blues opt to cash in he would have an endless list of destinations to choose from.
Incoming boss Antonio Conte is likely to want to stamp his own authority on the team and Matic could be sold to raise funds.
Branislav Ivanovic
Another Serbian who Chelsea could be better served without is versatile defender Ivanovic, who has struggled this season.
Too slow to play at right-back and lacks the concentration skills required to be a natural centre back, Ivanovic is likely to be way down the pecking order once Conte has signed his own recruits at the back.
At 32-years-old Ivanovic’s best days appear to be behind him and Chelsea should choose to cash in on the defender.
Although Ivanovic was tied down to a one-year contract extension recently, it wouldn’t surprise me if new boss Conte still opted to sell the player.
