Exclusive: Boehly to savagely sell five Chelsea stars in £200m clearout to free up funds for devastating double deal
Chelsea are putting the wheels in motion for another serious spending spree this summer with Ben Jacobs revealing to TEAMtalk the name of two big-name players on their radar.
The Blues have lavished well over £500m on their playing squad since Todd Boehly and Co took charge last summer. In that time, 17 new players have arrived through the welcome doors to seriously swell their squad.
And while presenting Graham Potter with an embarrassment of riches, results for Chelsea have gone seriously backwards this season.
As it stands the Blues are currently 10th and in danger of suffering their lowest league finish in years. As a result, their prospects of playing in the Champions League next season appear seriously bleak.
Furthermore, their only trophy hopes lie in this season’s UCL, and only if they can overturn a 1-0 deficit against Borussia Dortmund.
However, with just two wins since football’s resumption after the World Cup, Potter is a man under serious pressure.
To that end, talk of him facing the sack are beginning to gather some serious pace. To that end, the Blues are being linked with a surprise move for an oversea manager who has taken to the Premier League strongly.
Despite that, Boehly appears reluctant to part company with Potter and wants to give him time. That said, their next two games – against Leeds and then Dortmund – are vital for Potter’s survival.
Regarless of that, Chelsea will press ahead with their plans to further strengthen the squad this summer.
And Jacobs says that two names are very much top of their radar in both Declan Rice and Joao Felix. The latter has impressed Blues chiefs since signing on loan and talk is growing his move could be made permanent.
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Chelsea will let five leave to push through Rice, Felix deals
The journalist also claims Chelsea are hot on the trail of Rice, despite claims he currently favours a move to Arsenal.
Discussing their plans, he told TEAMtalk: “Joao Felix has gone down really well so far. So Chelsea would love the opportunity to try and sign him permanently. And this is why outgoings are so important, because if you consider that Chelsea are going to be in the race for Declan Rice, I think Arsenal feel confident on that one as well.
“And then if they wish to and are successful in signing Felix, that is a massive outlay as well. Atleti would like something around the €100m (£88m) mark, if not even a little bit more if they can get it.
“So even just factoring in those two players, Declan Rice and Joao Felix, it’s expensive should Chelsea get both of them.
“But if we illustrate the point by saying that both of them are in Chelsea’s thinking, then already they have to find well over £150m if not closer to £200m to bring in those two players.
“So outgoings become very important. As a result, you then start looking at where Chelsea can get fees. And that’s why Conor Gallagher, for example, may be a player that departs. Chelsea should be able to get good money for him.
“There’s still a question mark over Mason Mount as well. The Liverpool interest there is genuine ,but he’s been at Chelsea since he was six years old. So Chelsea is going to revisit that (his contract) at the end of the season and see what they can do. ”
Kalidou Koulibaly may be moved on by Chelsea
One of the first players to arrive under the Boehly regime was Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Arriving from Napoli in a £35.4m fee, Koulibaly has not perhaps been the success many expected.
And with January signing Benoit Badiashile acclimatising well, the Blues may well decide to cut their losses on Koulibaly.
“It’s not unthinkable that Kalidou Koulibaly could depart because Chelsea have got Wesley Fofana back fit. They’ve got Benoit Badiashile, who’s done really well,” Jacobs added.
“But, as we saw when Thiago Silva went off injured, as soon as Chelsea think they might have too many, they get hit with an injury. And as a consequence, they may be a little bit more wary about letting senior players go.”
Jacobs insists Chelsea will be as active this summer on the exits front as they are on the incomings front.
As such, he has named two others who are likely to make way to claw back some of their heavy expenditure.
“Outgoings are going to be hugely important for Chelsea. Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic: again players that could leave. So suddenly it creates space and as a result it makes way for the likes of another January signing [Mykhaylo] Mudryk to play more.”
