Chelsea's summer of outgoings continues to take shape with Kai Havertz and Edouard Mendy becoming the fourth and fifth official departure from Stamford Bridge inside two weeks of the window opening. With Ruben Loftus-Cheek on the wat out as well, there is no sign of things slowing down.
Despite the relative lack of action when it comes to new players on the way in, the biggest so far has been Christopher Nkunku, who agreed to join before the turn of the year, progress has been quick. Heading into the pre-season tour of America next month, Chelsea are set for a turnover of at least 10 players.
As well as the confirmed exits, arrivals from January including Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos plus the freshly agreed deal to bring in Santos teenager Angelo Gabriel, there will be a baby-faced look to the side that travels across the Pacific.
Now, with the attention turning to the new incomings before the tour, Chelsea have already firmed up their decisions for what is to come next. Deals to bring in Nicolas Jackson and Moises Caicedo are well under way whilst outside options for goalkeepers and strikers are monitored as the summer goes on as well.
The next most likely moves to be completed look set to still be heading out from SW6 rather than in, though. It is reported that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are already planning to make use of their newest addition, RC Strasbourg.
BlueCo, who own Chelsea, started the process of creating a multi-club model under the Chelsea umbrella with the purchase of the Ligue 1 side, as announced earlier this month. The president, Marc Keller, is being kept on under Boehly-Clearlake's plans for the first season at least and sharp work has already taken place.
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Former Crystal Palace and Nice boss Patrick Vieira is closing in on becoming the new manager of Strasbourg with the goal of pushing through young players and finding a way to best develop the club's future stars. With Santos, Kendry Paez, Angelo and Omari Hutchinson all in the pipeline, Strasbourg offer a controlled environment to oversee their progression.
With the signing of Angelo from Brazil, it is said that the club will look to loan him to Strasbourg immediately, confirming the next piece of business on the minds of the new recruitment team. Elsewhere, joining him in France could be forgotten loanee Malang Sarr.
The 24-year-old remained at Chelsea for the 2021/22 season under Thomas Tuchel in a bit-part squad role and made 21 appearances across the season. Having signed for free from Nice in 2020, any sale for him before his contract ends in 2025 would be profit for the club and a loan to Strasbourg, as has been reported.
With Cesare Casadei, Carney Chukwuemeka, David Datro Fofana and Bashir Humphreys all also in the same group of players looking to impress on temporary moves away from west London, it may be time to turn attention to the French league for the upcoming business.
