Who will get the boot at Chelsea as Tuchel looks to shape his squad?
Thomas Tuchel’s summer clearout: Tammy Abraham on the way out, Victor Moses staying at Spartak Moscow, Olivier Giroud out of contract – who else is getting the boot as the Chelsea boss looks to stamp his mark on the squad?
- There are reportedly 13 senior players who could leave the Blues this summer
- Tuchel will have his first full transfer window to trim his bloated first-team squad
- Big names could be on the chopping block as he jettisons some of the deadwood
- Sportsmail assesses the players who could be on the way out at Stamford Bridge
Thomas Tuchel faces a major squad rebuild this summer at Chelsea, with reports of more than a dozen players on the chopping block in a bid to raise funds for another summer of splashing the cash.
The German has shown a ruthless streak since replacing Frank Lampard in January, with then-outright top scorer Tammy Abraham and previous regulars like Kurt Zouma finding themselves out of the side.
Tuchel also has a history of axing first-team players to balance the books, selling Javier Pastore, Yuri Berchiche, Odsonne Edouard, Jonathan Ikone and Goncalo Guedes during his first transfer window at Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2018.
Striker Tammy Abraham could be one of up to 13 players who may leave Chelsea this summer
And the 47-year-old could oversee a similar overhaul in the upcoming transfer window, with three players out of contract, more out of favour and a gargantuan loan army making up a bloated squad.
Abraham, Olivier Giroud, Victor Moses, Fikayo Tomori and forgotten man Danny Drinkwater are far from the only names who could be on the way out.
So ahead of a busy summer of ins and out at Stamford Bridge, Sportsmail assesses who is getting the boot at the Blues.
Tammy Abraham
Almost incredibly, Abraham is still Chelsea’s joint-top scorer in all competitions this season, level with £48million signing Timo Werner, despite being largely out of favour under Tuchel.
The striker scored a hat-trick in the FA Cup win against Luton in the final match under Frank Lampard but has only started two Premier League matches under Tuchel and was hauled off at half-time in both.
West Ham, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace have been linked, while ex-England winger Trevor Sinclair said Abraham is good enough to play for Manchester City; he has also been mentioned as a possible makeweight in a players plus cash deal for Harry Kane.
He scored a hat-trick days before boss Thomas Tuchel arrived but has since been out of favour
The Telegraph state Chelsea want £90m-rated former academy prospect Declan Rice, with Tuchel urging the club to sign the elegant Hammers defensive midfielder, and could use Abraham as a pawn in a potential deal for him.
Abraham is still only 23 so has significant potential to improve as well as strong top-flight experience, and Chelsea are said to be demanding a fee of around £40million, although they may have to drop that price.
West Ham boss David Moyes has said a £40m fee would rule his side out, while Villans manager Dean Smith rates him highly but spent £28m on Ollie Watkins last summer, and the asking price may prove too big a chunk of Palace’s reported £50m budget.
Olivier Giroud
Fellow forward Giroud has played 31 games in all competitions so far this season, but has been a bit-part player under Tuchel and is out of contract this summer, meaning clubs outside England can start negotiations to sign him on a free transfer.
The 6’4″ target man turns 35 in September and is not considered part of the club’s long-term plans, meaning they could let him go. Several Italian sides have been linked with signing the Frenchman, with Sportsmail reporting this week that AC Milan and Inter Milan are interested, along with Juventus and Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Agent Vincenzo Morabito told Calciomercato that West Ham and Crystal Palace were two English clubs interested in Giroud if he chooses to stay in English football.
Fellow striker Olivier Giroud is out of contract this summer and is expected to leave on a free
Victor Moses
The 30-year-old wideman nailed down the right wing-back slot under Antonio Conte in the Blues’ Premier League title-winning season of 2016-17, but after a disappointing season the following campaign he was farmed out on loan.
After spells at Turkish side Fenerbahce and Inter Milan, Nigerian international Moses joined Russian side Spartak Moscow on a temporary basis on October.
He scored four goals and provided four assists in 19 appearances there, and Sportsmail reported this week Spartak have signed him permanently, with Chelsea receiving a £3.9million fee across three instalments, according to Goal.
Ex-Premier League winner Victor Moses has been signed permanently by Spartak Moscow
Kurt Zouma
Defender Zouma, 26, started this season as a regular in Frank Lampard’s first XI but has found himself marginalised under Tuchel, with Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta generally preferred either side of Thiago Silva.
Abendzeitung claim Bayern Munich are willing to sell centre back Niklas Sule to the Blues, which would further call into question the Frenchman’s future at the club.
Lampard favourite Fikayo Tomori is very likely to be on his way out after impressing on loan at AC Milan, with boss Stefano Pioli confirming the club’s intention to sign him permanently for around £25m, with up to £5m in potential add-ons.
However, stumping up that fee could hinge on whether the Italian giants qualify for the Champions League – they currently sit third with one Serie A game left this season, but it is against second-placed Atalanta and Juventus could overtake them.
Chelsea manager Tuchel could oversee a large summer clear-out as he tries to shape his squad
Marcos Alonso
Sportsmail reported earlier this month that Chelsea are set to offload either Alonso or fellow left-sided defender Emerson Palmieri this summer.
The duo have found themselves behind £50m signing Ben Chilwell, and with both out of contract next year – albeit with an option for a further 12 months – the upcoming transfer window could be the right time to cash in.
Crystal Palace could sign Alonso, with left-back Patrick van Aanholt is set to leave them this summer, with Juventus considering Emerson; Inter Milan have been linked with moves for both.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Spanish goalkeeper Kepa, very much considered second choice behind Edouard Mendy despite signing for £71million back in 2018, may leave – with Chelsea said to be willing to cut their losses.
Italian side Lazio have been linked with a move, while Chelsea are reportedly prepared to offer Kepa – along with Abraham and Callum Hudson-Odoi – as players who could move to Spurs as part of an audacious swap deal for Kane.
Ross Barkley
After a fine start to the season on loan at Aston Villa, Barkley’s stint in the Midlands has petered out recently, and Tuchel is understood to be willing to offload the former Everton man, either on loan or on a permanent deal.
With Jorginho maybe leaving, there will likely be room for another deeper midfielder to compete for a spot alongside Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante, with Billy Gilmour and the returning Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Conor Gallagher also options.
Midfielders Danny Drinkwater (left) and Tiemoue Bakayoko (right) are two others who could go
However, Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko are not wanted by the club. Drinkwater, 31, who had disastrous loan spells at Burnley and Aston Villa, has one year left on his contract and is unlikely to command a huge fee.
Bakayoko, 26, has stated he is ‘happy’ on loan at Napoli, but Gennaro Gattuso’s side do not have an option to buy him, with the Frenchman’s brother and agent Abdoulaye admitting the midfielder’s future is up in the air.
The Chelsea loan army
Full-backs Davide Zappacosta and Baba Rahman are both on the chopping block, with the club also keen to sell fellow long-standing loanees Matt Miazga, Kenedy and strikers Michy Batshuayi and Ike Ugbo to raise funds.
Atalanta and both Milan clubs are thought to be eyeing up Zappacosta, with Ugbo wanted by promoted side Watford and relegated Fulham as well as Monaco.
Ike Ugbo (right) is wanted by Watford and Fulham after a successful loan at Cercle Brugge
Best of the rest
Silva turns 37 in September and is set to be out of contract, but the club are expected to activate a one-year extension after the centre half’s fine performances; third-choice goalkeeper Willy Caballero’s deal also expires this summer.
Gallagher and defender Marc Guehi caught the eye during loans at West Bromwich Albion and Swansea respectively and are seen by Chelsea as bright prospects.
Conor Gallagher is drawing interest after doing well at West Brom, but wants to stay at the club
Leeds and Newcastle are interested in Gallagher, but the midfielder wants to stay and fight for his place next season, while the Blues have extended Guehi’s contract for another a year amid interest from Southampton and Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Athletic state Crystal Palace are ‘seriously considering’ both players, having almost taken Gallagher on loan this season before choosing Batshuayi, and are keen to rejuvenate their aging squad with some younger players.
Similarly, Hudson-Odoi, Ethan Ampadu and 18-year-old right-back Valentino Livramento are highly rated by the club but are understood to have been under consideration as potential sweeteners in a deal to sign Tottenham’s Harry Kane.
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