It's setting up to be a very busy week in the transfer market for Chelsea. Already N'Golo Kante's departure has been confirmed and four sales seem set to follow while the Blues also look to land the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Moises Caicedo.
PIF and Saudi Arabia have provided the west London side with a destination to send their unwanted players this summer. Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy could all see their futures in the Saudi Pro League with Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli respectively.
The trio appear could bring in a combined fee in the region of £38.5million, a figure well short of the outlay initially spent on their talents, Koulibaly almost reaching that fee alone when he signed from Napoli not even a year ago. With Chelsea also set to release talent to the Premier League however, the Blues are set to bring in £100million in the sales of Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic to Arsenal and Manchester City respectively.
Given the size of the squad Chelsea have accomodated since January it is perhaps little surprise to see such emphasis on player departures in the early stages of the summer as the club look to set up their team ready for Mauricio Pochettino's starting work next month. However, it also signals a departure from the club's previous methods.
Following the club's takeover last season, Chelsea were able to show some ruthlessness to accept losses and to allow players to leave for free as happened with the likes of Marcos Alonso and Ross Barkley, while they accepted losing money for Timo Werner when he returned to RB Leipzig. However, on that occasion, all three players made the trip to the USA for Chelsea's pre-season tour, with Alonso and Barkley not departing until the end of the transfer window.
However, there was still a degree of reluctance from the Blues to part with players too quickly when they could not garner a substantial fee. Ziyech and Pulisic were long expected to depart but ultimately remained at Stamford Bridge for the season, rather than seeing the club cut ties, despite landing two new wingers in the shape of Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk in January.
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This summer, things are moving much more quickly and Ziyech epitomises the shift in approach. The Morocco international appears set to leave for a figure in the region of just £8m. In the preceding two transfer windows the 30-year-old did not have such ease in agreeing a move.
In the past two windows it is believed Chelsea have been offered multiple options for Ziyech to have a path out but the Blues have not been in a position to facilitate it. A loan to PSG broke down on deadline day in January, while Ajax baulked at the fee required to sign the winger last summer.
Ziyech's book value will have went down over the last 12 months, perhaps making a transfer more palatable, with the prospect of making significant salary saving, in addition to opening up room in their squad. Saudi Arabia has offered Chelsea an avenue to recover from what could be considered errors and the club's hierarchy are looking to take full advantage.
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