Chelsea decide ‘first five casualties’ in £129m transfer clear-out

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has reportedly decided which five players will be first on the chopping block this summer. The quintet could fetch a whopping £129million if their market values are met, with the Blues set to plug the remaining gaps in what has quickly become a bloated squad.

Boehly’s first 10 months at Stamford Bridge have been hectic to say the least. Billions of pounds worth of additional spending were thought to be part of the takeover agreement, and much of that went on transfers across his first two windows.

In fact, Chelsea broke the record for the most money spent by a single club in one window last summer, before smashing their own record in January. Wesley Fofana, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Enzo Fernandez were three of the biggest deals as the Blues smashed the British transfer record for the latter.

Graham Potter discussed the difficulties that came with having such a massive squad before he was ruthlessly axed earlier this month. A fire sale is therefore on the cards this summer as Boehly looks to filter out those surplus to requirements.

According to Sport, Chelsea’s recruitment team have already decided on the ‘first five casualties’. Unsurprisingly, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is top of the list. The Gabonese arrived at Stamford Bridge to reunite with Thomas Tuchel, only for the German to be sacked shortly afterwards.

Aubameyang likely would have been on the move back in January after freefalling down the pecking order in west London, but regulations prevented him from playing for more than two clubs in a single season.

Finally, midfielders Conor Gallagher and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are reportedly being lined up for a sale after spending this campaign on the peripheries. Both came through Chelsea’s academy but have broadly failed to nail down a first-team spot.

If the five stars in question fetch their combined £129m market value, it could give the Blues’ incoming manager a healthy transfer kitty with which to construct the squad in their own image. Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann are two of the favourites for the hot seat, although the club are not expected to rush into a decision.