Roundup of latest stories on Chelsea's manic summer fire sale
Chelsea aren't expected to end their summer exodus once Mason Mount becomes the seventh player to leave with a reported move to Manchester United.
Kai Havertz, N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek exited during the first phase of Chelsea's clear-out. The deals were completed before June 30 in a deliberate effort to enhance the club's 2022-23 accounts after last season's huge transfer outlay put the Blues at risk of falling foul of Financial Fair Play rules.
Hakim Ziyech's switch to Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr - where Cristiano Ronaldo plays - reportedly collapsed before the June 30 deadline.
Though Ziyech's future is uncertain, seven other big names could be headed for the exit this summer, The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella reports. The players potentially on their way out of Stamford Bridge are Romelu Lukaku, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Christian Pulisic, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Trevoh Chalobah, Cesar Azpilicueta, and Marc Cucurella.
Most appealing assets
Pulisic and Chalobah should be the easiest players to offload, Kinsella reports.
Pulisic is close to a full agreement on personal terms to join AC Milan, but the two clubs are yet to shake hands over a transfer fee, according to ESPN's Jeff Carlisle. Chelsea set an asking price of €25 million for the American winger, while Milan view the €15 million-€18 million range as reasonable for a player who started just eight Premier League matches last season.
There are few legitimate reports regarding a potential new club for Chalobah, but Inter Milan have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old defender.
Hudson-Odoi is also attracting interest this summer. The 22-year-old was a target for two Saudi Pro League outfits, according to The Athletic's Simon Johnson, and The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg reported Wednesday that Fulham, AC Milan, and Nottingham Forest were considering a move for the Englishman.
Hudson-Odoi spent last season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen.
Farewell to a legend?
Chelsea captain Azpilicueta is in advanced talks with Atletico Madrid over a summer transfer, according to The Athletic's Mario Cortegana and Guillermo Rai.
The 33-year-old's contract expires at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but he'd prefer to move to the Spanish capital this summer. Atletico could get the experienced defender on a free transfer.
Azpilicueta has made 508 appearances for Chelsea. Since arriving from Marseille in 2012, he's won the Champions League, the Europa League twice, two Premier League titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and the Club World Cup.
Expensive strikers
Lukaku is reportedly in talks to stay at Inter Milan after his season-long loan with the Champions League finalists. A permanent transfer currently appears likelier than another temporary move, but Lukaku's price tag is hindering negotiations.
"Chelsea must decide what they will do with him. It's normal that they can't put him on the market and expect large fees," Inter CEO Giuseppe Marotta said Friday, as quoted by transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Marotta claimed Chelsea received an offer for Lukaku from a Saudi Arabian club that was worth around €50 million. Numerous outlets reported that the Belgian rejected a transfer to the Middle East.
Aubameyang, 34, is another striker who could depart the west London club. Turkish giants Galatasaray were linked with an approach for the former Arsenal marksman, and there are rumors that he could follow Kante, Koulibaly, and Mendy to Saudi Arabia.
The Cucurella conundrum
Cucurella endured a terrible first season with Chelsea after joining from Brighton & Hove Albion for a fee reportedly worth up to £63 million. He could find himself behind Ben Chilwell, Lewis Hall, and even Ian Maatsen in the battle to play at left-back under new head coach Mauricio Pochettino if he remains at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues are apparently attempting to cut their losses and get rid of the Spaniard, but Cucurella's agent Alvaro Dominguez branded reports that Chelsea had offered him to Atletico Madrid as "fake news," according to a social media post relayed by The Evening Standard's Matt Verri.