After splashing the cash like there was no tomorrow in January, brace yourself for the Todd Boehly mega-sale at Chelsea this summer, where all players on two-year deals or less must go.
Boehly has racked up an unprecedented transfer bill in his first full season at Stamford Bridge, spending £250million last summer before forking out a mind-blowing £300million on new recruits in January.
As a result, the Blues owner will likely need to balance the books when the transfer window reopens in July, and The Telegraph claim he is determined to move on any players who won’t commit themselves to the club beyond two years.
Enforcing this strategy would leave several first-team stars vulnerable at the end of the season… so who may be shown the door?
Sportsmail has run the rule over every Chelsea player in the final two years of their contract and assessed whether they should stay or go this summer.
Todd Boehly reportedly wants to sell Chelsea players who do not commit to beyond two years
Such a strategy would leave the futures of players such as Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount (left to right) in doubt
N’Golo Kante (Expires this summer)
Kante is understood to be on the verge of signing a new three-year contract, and despite missing most of the season through injury that will be music to Chelsea fans’ ears.
It may be a risk given his fitness problems and the fact he turns 32 this month, yet when fit and firing there is no better box-to-box midfielder in world football, so this is a risk worth taking.
VERDICT: KEEP
Mateo Kovacic (Expires next year)
With just over a year to run on his latest deal, the Croatian midfielder has a tough decision to make this summer as he eyes what could be the final long-term contract of his career ahead of his 29th birthday in May.
Reports suggest Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are interested in prising him away from the Blues, which says it all about how brilliant a player he is on his day. Boehly should do everything possible to keep Kovacic at Stamford Bridge.
VERDICT: KEEP
Christian Pulisic (Expires next year)
There were once high hopes for Pulisic when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2019 and quickly showed flashes of the breathtaking quality he possesses. Some, including this writer, felt he could even go on and emulate the much-revered Eden Hazard.
N’Golo Kante is on the verge of signing a new three-year contract despite his injury problems
Kovacic is wanted by…