Chelsea will have to launch a fire sale this summer as they face the financial blow of being out of Europe next season.
That could see England stars Mason Mount , Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek leading the exodus from Stamford Bridge to help balance the books and ensure they fall into line with spending rules.
But there are also lingering doubts over N’Golo Kante’s future as his current deal expires this summer and has yet to commit to a new contract despite the club’s optimism that he will stay.
Mateo Kovacic , 28, will also enter the final year of his contract this summer and Chelsea face a decision on the Croatia midfielder whether to sell or tie him down to a new deal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hakim Ziyech look certain to be leaving in the summer while there are doubts over Christian Pulisic who has become a bit-part figure.
The last two transfer windows have all been about Todd Boehly spending huge sums to bring in new players and rebuild the squad.
But the Chelsea owner has made it clear it will be different this summer and, having spent £600m on 17 new players, the next window will be about trimming and reshaping the squad.
They also reported losses of £121.3m for the 2021/22 financial year but did cite “extraordinary expenses and loss of revenue” from former owner Roman Abramovich being sanctioned and forced to put the club up for sale.
It has left Chelsea with difficult decisions this summer as they must trim the squad and also rebuild the team after a disastrous campaign.
Former Chelsea boss Graham Potter admitted he was left with too many players, it was impossible to keep them all happy and ultimately he could not find the right formula to get a happy and successful dressing room.
That will be the challenge not just for the new manager - they are currently going through the interview process with Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann among the leading candidates - but also the sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.
The biggest challenge is always to find the right dynamic and harmonious squad which is impossible if there are fed-up, disillusioned players who know they will not play.
Reducing the numbers will not just balance the books but also be key in creating a better environment even if selling home grown players is almost certain to divide the fanbase.
Liverpool are keen on England midfielder Mount, 24, who faces a heart wrenching decision this summer because he has not signed a new deal and Chelsea may have no option but to cash in.
Mount is a hugely popular player and a very attractive option for Liverpool who are not pursuing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham as going for him would effectively blow their budget in one deal.
But Liverpool believe Mount could be good value as he is a technical player with a high work rate and, with his contract due to expire in 2024, they may get him on the cheap.
Chelsea have not given up on keeping Mount but the club’s wage structure under the Boehly regime - dishing out contracts with a lower weekly wage but longer deals of up to eight and nine years - could make it tougher to keep existing players.
Gallagher has also interested Liverpool while Newcastle are keen on the England international and selling him and potentially Loftus-Cheek would represent pure profit on homegrown players which would help offset their spending and ensure they do not breach financial rules.
Chelsea will definitely have to sell to fall into line with Financial Fair Play but the club are confident they will get their budgets right with other older players also looking to be on their way.
Aubameyang, who turns 34 this summer, is a big earner and LAFC wanted him on loan after he was left out of Chelsea’s Champions League squad.
Ziyech was on the brink of joining Paris Saint Germain on deadline day in January but the deal fell through as the paperwork was not completed in time but there is certain to be interest in him again.
Pulisic is the biggest star in the United States and has found minutes hard to come by so, again, there could be interest in him.
They also have the dilemma of what to do with Romelu Lukaku who is currently on loan at Inter Milan and yet Chelsea are crying out for goals and a natural centre forward.
It seems unlikely that Lukaku could come back but former boss Potter did hint it could yet be a possibility and, for all the spending and new arrivals, they did not get a No9.
Chelsea are left with a huge summer ahead because they must balance the books, trim the squad and get a new manager to get the club back to being competitive again.
