Chelsea look set for a massive overhaul this summer, and our resident Chelsea fans here in the Transfer Tavern don’t know what to make of it.
The former champions have suffered a dire campaign this year in what is on course to be the worst defence of a title in Premier League history.
Guus Hiddink, who has steadied the ship after Jose Mourinho did his best to capsize it, is on his way again and Antonio Conte will soon set about rejuvenating the Stamford Bridge outfit this summer.
Already seemingly gone is captain John Terry.
The man known as Mr. Chelsea has not been offered a new deal and doesn’t appear to be getting one anytime soon, perhaps the club will perform a dramatic u-turn once Conte has Euro 2016 out of the way but it looks to be too late for the centre half.
Also likely to be leaving is Nemanja Matic with a move to Juventus on the cards and it would be unsurprising if these were not the only two outgoings this transfer window given Chelsea’s fall from grace.
Terry and Matic are set to go then, but who else might leave? Our landlord has compiled a list of FIVE Chelsea players who could follow Terry and Matic….
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE FIVE PLAYERS!
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Eden Hazard
The Belgian who was 2014/15 player of the year, and deservedly so, has been missing for large parts of this season.
No Premier League goals until two came along against Bournemouth at the back end of last month tells it’s own story of a man that has lost his way at the club.
In recent weeks performances have been better but the cynics would put this down to the European Championships on the horizon.
He’s been frustrating to say the least for Chelsea fans and it remains to be seen if he can repair the bridges he seems to have burnt.
Thibaut Courtois
Hazard’s international team-mate Courtois may have performed slightly better than the midfielder, but question marks still remain over his future.
He’s yet to outright say he wants to stay at the club and clearly he wants to play more Champions League football which won’t be coming to west London next season.
He has the talent to play for the best teams in Europe and so won’t be short of potential suitors, something that is bound to play on the minds of those at Chelsea.
Diego Costa
Costa has looked like the player he was last year since Hiddink came in.
He’s scored goals, bullied the opposition and been his usual divisive self.
There are still suggestions he remains unhappy at the club despite Mourinho moving on.
A return to the Spanish capital makes sense for Costa and for Atleti who need someone to support Antoine Griezman,n with Fernando Torres still not at his very best despite his recent form.
Chelsea might find it hard to try and keep Costa if Atleti make their move.
Branislav Ivanovic
The Serb has been a top class full back for sometime, but this season has shown signs he is on the decline as a footballer.
Never gifted with much pace it was Ivanovic’s positional play and guile that saw him get the better of most attacking opponents, but that seems to be gone now leaving him exposed.
Chelsea will always be thankful for his service but this summer could mark the end of the full back’s Stamford Bridge story.
Pedro
The Spaniard only joined the Blues last summer from Barcelona but has failed to hit the heights expected of him.
A huge part of Pep Guardiola’s brilliant Barcelona side, Blues fans were excited to get a piece of that machine for a relatively cheap price.
Wind almost a year forward and Pedro has been a bit-part player, outshone by Willian.
Whether the reasons are down to the number of fiascos that went on at the club in his first few months or not Pedro and the club might feel it’s time to cut their losses and move on.
