Last summer Chelsea took 29 players to America for their pre-season tour. This season 13 of those have already left the club on permament deals. When taking into account the two players that didn't travel due to Covid vaccination status, it's 15 out of 31 that have left.
Looking ahead to those from that group which may be there come mid-July when things really start to ramp up, only eight feel certain to head out to USA. Although transfers away can take a while to finalise and complete, if Mauricio Pochettino is as determined to build the foundation of his squad on those that wish to remain at Stamford Bridge, there will be little to gain from taking a group of up to eight players that could yet be on their way out.
Even with the confirmed departures of Edouard Mendy, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Kalidou Koulibaly and Kai Havertz, there are more to follow. Mason Mount is close to departing for Old Trafford - ironically Chelsea play Manchester United as part of their five game series on the east coast - and Hakim Ziyech is negotiating terms to move to Saudi Arabia despite medical issues.
That would take the permanent departures list up to seven from the first team squad from last season. Add in the likliness of Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all joining the ever-growing list of exits, Chelsea would be nine down. In a summer that demanded a mass exodus, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are delivering on their promise.
£163million has already been raised from these sales and that is only set to rise with the £60million for Mount on top. Callum Hudson-Odoi could yet generate more funds, as could Pulisic and those not yet with a defined path out of the club.
What is clear is that these players are extremely unlikely to be in the thinking for Pochettino. That raises a question as to what happens with those not in the immediate plans for the Argentine. He has a track record of creating effective bomb squads to seperate those in the mix and those not.
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When compared to Tuchel's decision to take Ross Barkley and Michy Batshuayi, amongst others, it is a change of direction. 14 of the original 29 from last season had already left by the time the summer window closed. Even with the arrivals of Raheem Sterling, Koulibaly and Cucurella to the squad, Chelsea had too many players that simply weren't involved.
It saw Billy Gilmour and Levi Colwill isolated with a secondary development team at a seperate camp instead of prioritised for minutes and attention. Pochettino cannot afford to make the same mistake and returning loanees will likely make up a good portion of this year's group.
Colwill himself is almost certain to be tried out heavily with plans to include him in an important role next season whilst Ian Maatsen could yet have a chance to prove himself as first team worthy. Cesare Casadei joins them after his half a season with Reading, as does Gabriel Slonina following his temporary period back with Chicago Fire.
Andrey Santos has a USA visa approved and will also surely be part of those aiming to show Pochettino what they are made of. Carney Chukwuemeka will be seeking opportunities himself to cement a serious playing role. There remain big discussions to have over the role Romelu Lukaku will have in this group as he hopes for another year away at Inter.
It is set to be a vastly different group taking to the plane just over 12 months on from one of the worst pre-seasons in the club's history. They may also have a fresh face or two to bed in as well.
For fashion's sake, football.london has picked a dream 29-man squad for Pochettino to take with him to America. Elsewhere, anyone still on the books that isn't included is either a presumed sale or youth loanee.
Possible Chelsea pre-season squad:
Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcus Bettinelli, Jamie Cumming, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Bashir Humphreys, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, Levi Colwill, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, Conor Gallagher, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Elliot, Andrey Santos, Cesare Casadei, Noni Madueke, Harvey Vale, Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk, Christopher Nkunku, Armando Broja, Nicolas Jackson, Omari Hutchinson.
*Benoit Badiashile (injured), Noni Madueke/Levi Colwill (international duty with England Under-21s), Gabriel Slonina (Gold Cup with USMNT)
