Chelsea are set to offload several players during the upcoming January transfer window, with both permanent departures and loan deals on the table as they look to streamline their bloated squad.
Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are reportedly among those leading the list of potential exits when the window opens in a matter of days.
According to BBC Sport, Chukwuemeka has been valued at £40million ($50million), the full amount of his release clause.
However, if no club is willing to meet the asking price, a loan deal remains a possibility.
Cesare Casadei is also a candidate for a loan move, with Feyenoord and Monza named as interested parties.
Meanwhile, homegrown talent Harvey Vale is reportedly available for a permanent transfer, with just six months remaining on his contract.
Youngster Alex Matos could also be on his way out, rounding off a list of five players who may depart Stamford Bridge this January.
None of these potential exits are expected to significantly impact Chelsea’s first-team setup.
Chilwell, for instance, has been on the fringes of the squad since last summer.
The left-back has made just one appearance this season – a 45-minute stint in the Carabao Cup against Barrow – and hasn’t even made the bench for a Premier League game.
Chukwuemeka has similarly struggled for opportunities, featuring only four times in the Conference League and failing to appear in the Premier League.
Despite being linked with a move, Chelsea are reportedly not actively seeking to sell Cesare Casadei permanently, though a loan is seen as a viable option.
Harvey Vale, who has impressed at the Under-21 level this season, is eager for senior football that Chelsea cannot currently provide.
His recent appearances have been limited to dead-rubber European fixtures. As for Matos, the young prospect has yet to make a first-team matchday squad this season.
The January transfer window will open on Wednesday, January 1, and close on Friday, February 3, at 11 p.m., giving clubs an extended period to finalize their transfer business.
Selling Chukwuemeka would likely generate the highest financial return for Chelsea, but given his limited appearances this season, a permanent move may be difficult to secure.
Regardless, the club appears committed to reshaping their squad during the window, both to balance the books and create space for future additions.
Maresca said of Chilwell and Chukwuemeka shortly before Christmas: “Probably they are the first [to say] that they want to leave because they train every day, because they want to play games and if they don’t play games probably they are thinking of leaving.
“Each player is a bit different situation, so we’re going to see if some of them are coming and knocking on the door to say ‘I want to leave’.
“We will try to find a solution.”
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