Chelsea transfer plan for £60m stars confirmed as Enzo Maresca squad takes shape

Both Carney Chukwuemeka and Joao Felix are likely to leave Chelsea again this summer. The pair were sent out on loan in January to Borussia Dortmund and Milan, respectively, after disappointing first halves to last season.

Chukwuemeka had been expected to depart Stamford Bridge in 2024 but no deal was completed. He played a tiny role for Enzo Maresca before being sent away to Dortmund in a bid to build match sharpness and fitness.

Maresca admitted that Chukwuemeka would not be in his plans and it was best for him to play 30 games to aid his development. His loan spell in Germany never really got going, though, with initial injury problems once more hampering him.

The 21-year-old did play 17 times in all competitions, scoring once, but only started one out of nine Bundesliga games. He has since been at the Club World Cup in America with Dortmund.

They were knocked out by Real Madrid on Saturday night despite a late fightback. Chukwuemeka was on the bench but had a bright cameo.

Chelsea and Dortmund agreed to extend to Chukwuemeka’s loan to include the Club World Cup, even as it entered July, which is beyond the usual June 30 cut-off. However, sporting director Sebastien Kehl has revealed that talks are underway over a move to cover next season.

“Carney’s loan ends today,” Kehl said. “That’s what we agreed with Chelsea. Now, let’s see. We will definitely have some more discussions in the next few days about his situation.

“I think it was a good move from Carney to join us. Now let’s see how we manage everything. It won’t be easy, but for sure we will try to keep him because he’s a very good player. This topic is something for the future, and right now I don’t know what will happen.

“It’s always easier to loan a player than to buy one, especially within Carney’s [price] range. We are not that far advanced [with talks] at the moment, but I can tell you that we are pretty close to the player, and he loves Dortmund, so this is quite good. Everything else will be decided between Chelsea and us. That won’t be on Monday or Tuesday. I think it will take some more days.”

Chelsea have been open to selling Chukwuemeka over the past 18 months but nobody has triggered his release clause, thought to be worth £40million. He was signed for £15million in 2023 but has seen his progressed stalled by a series of injury issues.

Earlier this summer, Andrey Santos was handed Chukwuemeka’s old No.17 shirt number, another clear sign of the direction in which things are going. He has a contract with Chelsea until 2028.

As for Felix, his disastrous £45million move back to Chelsea on a permanent basis last summer has seen him go from costing £45million as part of the makeweight to sell Conor Gallagher to Atletico Madrid, to totally outcast by Maresca. He was left out of the Club World Cup squad entirely, like all of the loanees bar Santos.

Felix is now trying to find a new home yet again. Benfica, the side where he made his name as a teenager, have emerged as an option, and all parties appear keen.

“Seeing Bruno Lage, the coach, who I know and was important for my career, earns points in my decision and I see with good eyes returning to Benfica. And it is, maybe, where I am most inclined.”

Lage himself, who was beaten by Chelsea in the last-16 last week, has been praising Felix of late. “He is a special player for Benfica, for me, and he is on his holidays,” the former Wolves boss said.

“He is maybe asleep now because he is on the other side of the world. It’s important to be focused on the players who are going to play against Chelsea.”

Felix scored 17 times and assisted 10 at Benfica in his breakthrough 2018/19 season under Lage. That helped earn him a £111million transfer to Madrid, where things have gone south almost ever since.

Chelsea are now exploring ways out of the Felix deal, although his wages and price may well make a loan the only viable option. He has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia.

Like with Chukwuemeka, Chelsea have given Felix’s shirt number to Dario Essugo. There was no mention of Felix in the club’s announcement over the move, either.

As well as Felix and Chukwuemeka, Chelsea have a host of other outgoing transfers to complete. Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, and Armando Broja have no future at the club.

Christopher Nkunku is available for transfer, whilst Djordje Petrovic is also expected to leave. Lesley Ugochuwku could depart on loan or permanently. There are many others who need to have loans firmed up in order to help them kick on.

For now, Chukwuemeka and Felix are two of the most high-profile names and there is certainly interest in both of them.