The players Chelsea need to offload before the end of the summer transfer window

Chelsea’s chaotic transfer strategy under Todd Boehly shows no signs of slowing down. For the fourth summer in a row, the club has surpassed £250 million in spending, bringing in a new wave of talent including Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap, and Estevao.

While Enzo Maresca now has one of the deepest squads in the Premier League, the bloated roster—boasting around 37 first-team players—presents a serious problem.

With Premier League rules allowing only 25 players to be registered, Chelsea urgently need to trim the fat. It’s not just about compliance—offloading fringe players is also essential to reducing the club’s wage bill and creating a manageable, motivated squad—capable of competing for the title in the Premier League odds.

Here are the names that should be at the top of Chelsea’s exit list before the transfer window slams shut.

Ben Chilwell

Once seen as a long-term solution at left-back, Ben Chilwell has fallen dramatically out of favour. After being omitted from Maresca’s Premier League squad last season, he managed just a single appearance under the new manager—in the League Cup against Barrow.

A loan spell at Crystal Palace followed, but with only eight Premier League outings and no minutes in the FA Cup final, his stock has plummeted.

Worryingly for Chelsea, there appears to be little concrete interest in the England international this summer. His wages and injury record are likely major sticking points, but the Blues may need to subsidise part of his salary or accept a cut-price fee just to get him off the books.

Axel Disasi

Axel Disasi arrived from Monaco with plenty of promise, but his Chelsea career has quickly stagnated. He was a regular starter in his debut season but fell out of favour under Maresca, making just six league appearances before being shipped out on loan to Aston Villa. He fared no better there—only seven top-flight appearances and few standout moments.

Although interest is limited, both Newcastle United and Villarreal have been linked. If Chelsea can recoup even part of the £38.5 million they paid for him, they should take it. With defensive reinforcements already arriving to bolster their favouritism in the football betting markets, Disasi looks surplus to requirements.

Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling was completely frozen out by Maresca and spent last season on loan at Arsenal—where he failed to score in 17 Premier League appearances and netted just once in all competitions. For a player of his calibre and wage bracket, that return is simply unacceptable.

Now 30, Sterling has reportedly attracted interest from Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, and Fulham. A permanent move would serve all parties well. Chelsea need to offload his substantial salary, and Sterling needs a fresh start to revive what’s left of his top-flight career.

Christopher Nkunku

Nkunku’s Chelsea stint hasn’t been a disaster, but it hasn’t lived up to expectations. Hampered by a string of injuries, the Frenchman has shown flashes of quality—scoring 18 goals and providing five assists in 62 games—but he’s never nailed down a regular starting spot.

With Gittens arriving from Borussia Dortmund and Alejandro Garnacho potentially joining from Premier League rivals Manchester United, Nkunku is in danger of being knocked down the pecking order even further.

Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and the Red Devils have all been linked, and reports suggest Chelsea have even lowered their asking price to facilitate a sale. A move abroad might allow him to rediscover the form that made him such a highly sought-after talent in the Bundesliga.