11 players could leave Chelsea this summer to make room for new signings
By Max Cooper
European champions Chelsea are set to undergo a massive clear out this summer, with 11 players destined to leave Stamford Bridge in order to make room for four new signings.
Coach Thomas Tuchel wants to add a new centre-back, a wing-back, a centre midfielder and a striker to his squad over the summer, but that will mean having to offload a host of current stars from the wage bill.
The Daily Mail reports that as many as 11 players could leave Chelsea in the summer, either on loan or permanently, to accommodate the arrival of Tuchel's new recruits.
There are several Blues stars whose futures seem destined to lie away from west London. Homegrown striker Tammy Abraham has barely featured under Tuchel and the club could cash in on the England international with a potential profit of around £40m on offer.
Fellow forward Olivier Giroud is coming to the end of his contract, and he is expected to depart on a free transfer this summer. Centre-back FIkayo Tomori, who has spent the past half-season on loan at Milan, is likely to make that move permanent in the upcoming transfer window.
Tomori has impressed since arriving in Italy and helped I Rossoneri clinch a spot in the top four of Serie A and subsequently qualify for the Champions League. The Italian giants inserted an option to buy clause of £25m in the loan deal and the defender has convinced them to pull the trigger.
Ross Barkley, another man who spent last season out on loan, will not be included in Tuchel's plans for next year, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek may finally be forced to find a permanent home elsewhere following a string of temporary spells away from the Bridge.
Tiemoue Bakayoko is another outcast Chelsea will be hoping to ship out this summer, while the club is ready to wave goodbye to Italian full-backs Davide Zappacosta and Emerson Palmieri.
Midfielders Billy Gilmour and Conor Gallagher could be told to prove themselves elsewhere for a year, although Tuchel wants to assess Gallagher's ability up close before making a decision.
The most unlikely and surprising name on the list is Christian Pulisic.
The American has struggled under Tuchel this year, but the German coach has not been prepared to fully utilise him thus far, and that could see Pulisic demand a move away for regular game time.