Xabi Alonso must axe 11 Chelsea stars as deadline set for transfer plan | Football | Sport

Chelsea need to shift as many as 11 players before Xabi Alonso settles into his new position. The incoming Blues boss, who has penned a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge, will officially commence his duties on July 1, affording him and the sporting hierarchy sufficient time to strengthen the squad.

However, before Chelsea contemplate recruiting any additional players, a major exodus is required. When Alonso accepted the role as permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, he set out his determination to ‘build the right culture and win trophies’. “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,” said the 44-year-old, who stepped down as Real Madrid head coach at the beginning of the year.

“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.

“There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club, and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”

While Alonso recognised the ‘great talent’ and ‘huge potential’ within the squad, the Blues must still be decisive this summer. Once the transfer window opens on June 15, Chelsea have a fortnight to move on those deemed surplus to requirements, providing the former Liverpool midfielder with a fresh start.

Not only will Alonso be able to establish a firm foundation from a group of dependable players, but the sporting leadership team will also have generated funds to plough back into new talent. So, with that in mind, we have examined 11 players that Chelsea ought to axe in the coming weeks.

Chelsea turned heads when they splashed out £20.7million during the summer of 2024 to recruit Jorgensen from Villarreal. The Blues were desperately seeking a new goalkeeper to succeed Robert Sanchez between the sticks, and rather than bring in an established name, they snapped up a then-22-year-old following his maiden full campaign as a number one in the top-flight.

While proficient with his feet, predictably, Jorgensen appeared out of his depth, and sporadic opportunities between the sticks proved no help. To this day, unless it’s a cup match, he’s typically only deployed when Sanchez commits a high-profile error.

For his own benefit, Jorgensen ought to be moved on, whether on loan or permanently, and concentrate on accumulating minutes. Meanwhile, Chelsea require a senior deputy who will provide experience and quality when needed – not a youngster hanging around for game time.

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Fofana failed to meet expectations after returning from injury this season. The 25-year-old defender, whom Chelsea acquired from Leicester for an initial £70million in August 2022, was expected to at least ease the burden when Levi Colwill sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury during pre-season.

While Fofana didn’t provide anywhere near the same quality as the Cobham graduate, he and Trevoh Chalobah displayed flashes of potential as a partnership under Enzo Maresca. Whether through injury or otherwise, the Frenchman never progressed beyond that point; indeed, his performances deteriorated as the campaign wore on.

To be fair, many others struggled similarly. However, for a player commanding his transfer fee, salary, and patchy fitness record, Fofana only demonstrated that he isn’t the right partner for Colwill next season. The careless red card on the final day was merely the icing on the cake.

Gusto was among the first names on the teamsheet while Maresca remained in charge, frequently playing a pivotal role for Chelsea in the so-called ‘big games’. The 23-year-old defender, whom the Blues secured from Lyon for £30.7million in January 2023, hasn’t distinguished himself since the Italian’s departure, prompting doubts about his long-term prospects.

Without being overly dramatic, the start of Chelsea’s downfall this season can be pinpointed to Tosin’s two glaring errors in the loss to Leeds at the end of last year. While the 28-year-old defender cannot shoulder all responsibility for the collapse that ensued, he’s broadly contributed very little this term.

Regrettably for Tosin, he’s been miscast by senior figures at Stamford Bridge as the ‘experienced’ figure in the squad. Experience does not equate to quality; the centre-back wasn’t recruited on a free transfer from Fulham to serve as a cheerleader.

Similarly, there’s a range of experience. While Tosin is a seasoned professional, he doesn’t offer the same calibre of experience as someone like Enzo Fernandez, who, despite being three years his junior, has featured – and triumphed – in matches at the very highest level.

Badiashile also confronts an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. The 25-year-old defender, whom the Blues acquired from Monaco for £35m in January 2023, has failed to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.

With Colwill returning from injury and Jorrel Hato developing into a considerably more dependable option, there’s no prospect of improvement for Badiashile. The Frenchman can scarcely reinvent himself as a right-sided centre-back either, with Trevoh Chalobah and Josh Acheampong poised to battle for Alonso’s confidence.

Garnacho has faced unwarranted scrutiny during his spell at Chelsea. The 21-year-old winger, whom the Blues recruited from Manchester United for £40m in the summer, arrived carrying a reputation as a troublemaker, yet his attitude has been nothing short of exemplary.

Nevertheless, this does not shield him from criticism regarding his displays on the pitch. Garnacho tends to find himself in the right positions in the final third, yet his end product consistently leaves much to be desired.

The Argentina international will, hopefully, eventually rid himself of his profligacy in front of goal, but time is a precious commodity at Stamford Bridge. If Alonso is to challenge on all fronts, Chelsea must bring in a world-class, or at the very least near world-class, left-winger during the summer window.

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Jamie Gittens, whom the Blues acquired from Borussia Dortmund for approximately £50m, has been sidelined for much of the campaign through injury. Even during his periods of fitness, the 21-year-old winger was rarely afforded the opportunity to make his mark, meaning Garnacho will likely carry the blame.

Delap has endured a difficult introduction to life at Chelsea. The 23-year-old arrived as a striker who excelled in transition, yet the Blues — a side built on possession dominance — frequently found themselves trying to break down a deep defensive block.

Even so, when chances did fall to Delap in the final third, he squandered them. The Englishman has previously demonstrated his quality as a finisher, and perhaps a loan spell elsewhere would do him the world of good. Chelsea paid just £30m for Delap from Ipswich Town, meaning the club would have little difficulty recouping, or potentially even turning a profit on, that initial outlay.

Much like Jorgensen, Guiu ought to move on for the benefit of his own career. The 20-year-old striker, signed from Barcelona for a mere £5m in July 2024, showed considerable promise in his first campaign, yet just as he appeared poised to nail down a starting berth, he was struck down by injury.

Eager to provide Guiu with more regular game time, the Blues dispatched him on loan to Sunderland in the summer, only to swiftly recall him when Nicolas Jackson forced through a move to Bayern Munich. The Spaniard has started just five games for Chelsea this term, clocking fewer than 600 minutes on the pitch.

Three Chelsea loanees axed

Axel Disasi, Tyrqiue George, and David Datro Fofana could also find themselves surplus to requirements once their respective loan spells conclude. None of the trio have particularly distinguished themselves this season, giving Alonso precious little reason to reintegrate them into first-team plans.

Disasi, who arrived from Monaco for £38.5m in August 2023, spent the latter half of the campaign at West Ham. Despite showing improvement within a defensive structure, he couldn’t prevent the Hammers from suffering Premier League relegation.

George also departed Stamford Bridge on loan during the winter transfer window, linking up with Everton. It is understood that the Toffees hold an option to purchase the 20-year-old winger permanently this summer. He made just one start for David Moyes’ side and clocked up just 200 minutes of football. Datro Fofana, who Chelsea snapped up from Molde for approximately £8m in January 2023, is the third and final loanee potentially facing the axe in the weeks ahead.

In January 2023, the Ivorian made his Chelsea bow, coming off the bench in a 4-0 FA Cup third-round thrashing at the hands of Manchester City. He made a promising impression, yet went on to feature just three more times for the Blues before being shipped out on loan every subsequent season.

Datro Fofana spent the latter half of the campaign at Strasbourg, also under BlueCo ownership, contributing a solitary assist in nine appearances across all competitions…