Chelsea have already been shown by some of their rivals how best to act this summer as they look to complete a summer rebuild and overhaul in as short a period of time as possible. Everything that the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital axis has done so far has been based off moving on from the old regime quickly and this summer is set to be no different.
From buying £250million worth of players last summer whilst moving on Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to sacking Thomas Tuchel somewhat prematurely, it has been football club ownership in hyperspace. The eight January deals added to that as well as behind-the-scenes changes only create a bigger world of changes.
With a squad now too big to manage and the on-field reflection of that becoming more and more evident by the week, Chelsea have little choice but to be ruthless in the next window. Given most of the sales will come from previously purchased players under Roman Abramovich, and for Mauricio Pochettino under other managers, cutting ties should be easier in theory.
READ NEXT: 'Secret' Thomas Tuchel Chelsea transfer plan backfires as Mauricio Pochettino set for £52m boost
To get the most out of the window then it certainly needs to happen in order to give the new head coach time to build a core group of players, have an effect on the mentality and get a cohesive set of players working towards the same goal. It is easier said than done, though.
Teams of the past, not only Chelsea, have long been plagued by being unable to shift unwanted players on big wages. Liverpool this summer, for example, have let Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita go for free, neither of who lived up to expectation at Anfield. Their way of refreshing the squad also involved allowing Roberto Firmino and James Milner to run down their contracts, Sadio Mane was sold with one year left.
Although the results have been sporadic, it is the first time Jurgen Klopp has had to move away from the main set of players he signed at the club. Arsenal have done similarly in recent years. Mesut Ozil, Sokratis and Shkodran Mustafi were let go for nothing in 2020, Emi Martinez was sold that same year.
In 2021 they allowed Willian and David Luiz to go, accepting their losses, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sead Kolasinac, Callum Chambers and Joe Willock all followed them. Last summer it was Alexandre Lacazette and Hector Bellerin that went, Matteo Guendouzi, Lucas Torreira and Bernd Leno were all sold.
In the space of two years the club gutted the failed signings from the reigns of Arsene Wenger and Unai Emery and now Mikel Arteta has a squad he considers to be his own. Pablo Mari, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Reiss Nelson all face their futures being away from the Emirates Stadium.
Manchester City are happy to sell their stars when the stock is high, even if many would see it as weakening their squad. Chelsea, on the other hand, have only stockpiled players waiting and hoping for values to rise and offers to come in. When they don't it ends like this season.
Manchester United themselves are set for a true gutting this summer, too. Five players are set to be released whilst a group of first team outcasts have been listed for sale. Getting fees for that group is often the tough part and Chelsea themselves will have that challenge ahead of them.
Of the group of players listed below there is over £532million worth of players but getting even half of that would be a major success, the club are looking at serious losses on most. In order to complete a rebuild, however, swallowing pride and moving on has shown to be the most efficient way to go about it.
Chelsea players that could be sold this summer:
Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ian Maatsen, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Callum Hudson-Odoi
READ NEXT:
Todd Boehly has last-gasp chance to complete Lionel Messi transfer amid Chelsea strategy
Frank Lampard U-turns on Christian Pulisic Chelsea stance amid Mauricio Pochettino uncertainty
Chelsea 2023/24 new kit latest as 'stunning' Nike pictures emerge amid $75m uncertainty
Everton takeover update and what it means for Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham after huge claims
Transfer news LIVE: Cristiano Ronaldo plan, Liverpool 'agree' deal and Joao Cancelo latest
