Chelsea’s summer transfer business is well under way and the window has not even officially opened yet. An exceptional registration period between June 1 and June 10 will allow clubs to add and sell players before the revamped FIFA Club World Cup.
And for Chelsea, they are looking to take advantage of the mini window, with Liam Delap set to have his medical next week ahead of a £30million move from Ipswich Town, football.london understands. Despite plenty of interest from elsewhere, in the Premier League and abroad, the 22-year-old has chosen a move to Stamford Bridge with the striker keen to reunite with Enzo Maresca.
The Blues are looking to get as much business done as early as possible with the Club World Cup in the United States on the horizon. After signing Delap, the club’s attention is likely to turn to a left-sided winger and a central defender could also be added.
Chelsea have space in their squad to add players ahead of the 2025/26 season. There are, once again, likely to be big changes to the squad at Stamford Bridge over the course of the summer, with a number of incomings and outgoings.
Here, football.london takes a look at the current squad situation, what could be done to change that and how it may look once the summer transfer window has concluded.
Current squad
Premier League clubs are permitted to name a 25-man squad in September, with an updated list of players named in February after the closure of the mid-season transfer window. Of those 25 players, at least eight must be homegrown, so if clubs do not have enough homegrown players, the squad size is reduced accordingly.
In February of this year, Chelsea only named 20 players in their squad after a number of outgoings and only one incoming in the January window. Of those 20 players, nine of them were in the homegrown category; meaning the Blues could have named the full 25-man squad.
Departures
A couple of the homegrown players named in the February squad could be on their way out of SW6. One of them is Trevoh Chalobah. Despite impressing since being recalled from his loan at Crystal Palace in January, football.london understands the Blues are open to offers for the Cobham graduate.
Another homegrown player potentially on the way out is Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The 26-year-old signed from Leicester City last summer for around £30million but the midfielder featured just 13 times over the course of the Premier League season for the Blues.
There are also question marks over the future of Benoit Badiashile. Sources close to Badiashile recently told football.london the defender is content at Stamford Bridge but a move this summer has not been ruled out, after making just 20 appearances in all competitions throughout the 2024/25 season.
Christopher Nkunku is expected to leave Chelsea this summer. The 27-year-old frustrated in his second full season with the club and was strongly linked with a move away in January. The Blues did not want to lose Nkunku midway through a season but are happy for him to depart this summer.
Returning loan players
There are a number of players returning from their respective loan spells this summer. However, a lot of them face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge.
Andrey Santos will take part in next month’s Club World Cup for the west Londoners with the hope of impressing Maresca in the United States. However, the likes of Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Lesley Ugochukwu, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Raheem Sterling, Deivid Washington, Caleb Wiley and Alfie Gilchrist could all be loaned out again, or sold by the Blues.
There are high hopes for young goalkeeper Mike Penders, who will arrive from Genk this summer. The 19-year-old shot-stopper could leave on loan, though, for his development.
Estevao Willian is one of the most exciting young prospects in world football at this moment in time and he is expected to be handed first team opportunities next season. Kendry Paez will also arrive at Chelsea in the summer. The Ecuadorian has been acclimatising to European football in recent months, where he has been training with the BlueCo-owned Strasbourg – a possible destination for him next season should the Blues look to give him first team chances elsewhere.
New signings
Dario Essugo is expected to be part of the first team picture next season after Chelsea agreed a deal with Sporting CP earlier in the year. Essugo could take part for Chelsea in the Club World Cup in June.
Mamadou Sarr will arrive from Strasbourg, although a loan out elsewhere could be on the cards for the young central defender. And as mentioned above, Delap is expected to sign in the coming days. There is absolutely no doubting where Delap will play his football next term.
Chelsea are looking to bring in a new left-sided winger over the course of the summer window. Nico Williams remains a target for the Blues, football.london understands, though there are concerns over the Spain international’s extortionate wage demands. Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund is also an option after the Blues explored a deal to sign him in January.
There is also interest in a new central defender. Dean Huijsen was a target but has moved to Real Madrid since, while Marc Guehi and Murillo have been considered by the Blues.
Youngsters
Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George both enjoyed breakthrough seasons at Chelsea and there could be more academy stars given opportunities by Maresca next season. Ishe Samuels-Smith penned a new long-term contract at Stamford Bridge in April and football.london understands the defender was told about potential first team opportunities next season.
How the squad could look
Potential squad: Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Marcus Bettinelli*, Levi Colwill*, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Murillo, Tosin Adarabioyo*, Malo Gusto, Marc Cucurella, Reece James*, Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Jadon Sancho*, Cole Palmer*, Pedro Neto, Nico Williams, Noni Madueke*, Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap*
The likes of Romeo Lavia, Acheampong, George, Samuels-Smith, Essugo, Estevao, Paez and Santos all fit in the Under-21 category and will not take places up in the squad.
Key: * = Homegrown players, Bold = potential new signings
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