Report: Chelsea to offload players, Kante and Jorginho won't be sold

Chelsea will look to jettison several first-team players this summer, but offers for midfielders N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are expected to be rebuffed, sources told James Olley of ESPN.

Chelsea intend to be active in the upcoming transfer market - despite the financial uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic - and will look to bolster the coffers in order to improve the squad in key areas.

Tiemoue Bakayoko, who's out on loan at Monaco, Marcos Alonso, Emerson Palmieri, Michy Batshuayi, and Davide Zappacosta have all been deemed surplus to requirements by manager Frank Lampard, according to Olley.

Lampard is reportedly "keen" on signing left-back Ben Chilwell from Leicester City to help replace the incumbent pair of Alonso and Emerson.

The Blues have already closed a deal for Hakim Ziyech; the Moroccan will join the club from Ajax this summer after the two sides agreed to a €40-million transfer in February.

Chelsea, who have relied almost exclusively on Tammy Abraham for goals, are also tracking Moussa Dembele from Lyon, Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, and Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to fortify their attacking ranks. Dembele is believed to be the preferred option.

Though a significant fee will be required to land any of those targets, neither Kante nor Jorginho is expected to be sold to facilitate a move. The former has been linked with Real Madrid, while ex-Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri, now at Juventus, is reportedly keen to work with the latter once again.

There have been suggestions of a swap deal for Juventus' Miralem Pjanic, but Lampard isn't interested in bringing the Bosnian to Stamford Bridge, Olley notes.

Champions League qualification is also expected to have a significant impact on Chelsea's ability to spend this summer. The Blues occupied the fourth and final Champions League berth when the Premier League season was put on hold, though fifth place may also be enough, depending on the outcome of Manchester City's appeal against their tournament ban.