Chelsea are reportedly ready to part ways with as many as 11 players before the summer transfer window closes as Xabi Alonso continues to reshape his squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
According to **The Athletic**, the Blues are looking to trim their squad after another busy transfer window that has seen the club spend more than £300 million on new signings. Chelsea have added Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Valentín Barco, Danny Welbeck and Emmanuel Emegha as Alonso begins building a team capable of competing for major honours.
The report claims Chelsea have made several first-team players available for transfer. Those reportedly on the market include Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Malo Gusto, Benoît Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guiu, David Datro Fofana, Liam Delap and Nicolas Jackson, while another player is also expected to leave before the transfer deadline.
Some of those players are already attracting interest from clubs across Europe. Chalobah is reportedly close to completing a £31 million move to Serie A side Como, while Pedro Neto has been linked with a reunion with former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca at Manchester City.
Chelsea are expected to approve more departures in the coming weeks as they look to reduce the size of the squad and create room for their summer arrivals. The club has spent heavily once again, and player sales could also help balance the books before the transfer window shuts.
The overhaul comes during Alonso’s first pre-season in charge. The former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen coach has used the club’s tour to assess his players and experiment with different combinations as he prepares for the new campaign.
Chelsea started pre-season with an entertaining 6-4 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers. The Blues looked dangerous going forward and created plenty of chances, but conceding four goals also highlighted defensive problems that Alonso will be eager to fix before the season begins.
That positive start was followed by two defeats. Chelsea lost 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in Sydney before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat against Juventus in Hong Kong. Despite showing flashes of quality in attack, the team struggled to take their chances and were punished at the other end of the pitch.
After three pre-season matches, Chelsea have scored seven goals and conceded seven. The numbers reflect a team that has shown attacking promise but still needs to improve defensively if it wants to challenge for trophies this season.
Alonso will have more opportunities to fine-tune his squad before the Premier League campaign gets underway. Chelsea are scheduled to face AC Milan, Johor Darul Ta’zim and Real Sociedad in their remaining pre-season fixtures, with the Spanish coach expected to continue assessing his options.
As the transfer window enters its final weeks, Chelsea’s squad is likely to undergo further changes. If the reported departures are completed, Alonso could begin the new season with a leaner group built around the club’s latest signings and his preferred style of play.
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