Mauricio Pochettino is the new Chelsea manager and with his appointment comes a swift motion to trim the bloated squad and provide the new coach with a squad he believes is capable of turning around the club’s fortunes.
According to a report from Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard, the new boss could see a massive “squad clear out” of “up to 12 players” as the London side aims to reduce their player count and meet Financial Fair Play rules following a massive spend over the past 12 months.
Mauricio Pochettino Overseeing Major Chelsea Squad Clear Out
Aubameyang first out the door as Pochettino kickstarts Chelsea clear out
✍️ @NizaarKinsella https://t.co/8CWjkiYWrE
— Standard Sport (@standardsport) May 30, 2023
Who Is On The Chopping Block?
“Transfer Flop” Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang appears to be the first name on the list as the striker has reportedly been given a green light to find a new team to join. The striker endured a dismal season at Stamford Bridge after joining from Barcelona and appears eager to rejoin the Spanish side if their financial situation allowed it.
Read More: Chelsea ‘Really Pushing’ for Midfield ‘Destroyer’
Other players named in Kinsella’s report are Edouard Mendy, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Hakim Ziyech, Mateo Kovacic, Marc Cucurella, and Kai Havertz. Loftus-Cheek is in negotiations for a move to AC Milan while Manchester City have interest in Mateo Kovacic. Despite a very poor time in a blue jersey Cucurella is wanted by Atletico Madrid.
Financial Fair Play Looming
Besides reducing their massive squad a big reason behind the firesale at Chelsea is the need to balance their books after spending more than £600 million since Todd Boehly purchased the club. For this reason, they are looking to move on from a lot of their depth options.
Read More: Chelsea Appoint Mauricio Pochettino as Permanent Manager
It is mentioned in the Standard’s report that they are “open to offers for most of their older players” as they aim to focus on a young core of players like Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk and others.
