Next Chelsea manager has nine non-negotiables as BlueCo face difficult Cole Palmer decision
The next Chelsea boss will have to make some difficult decisions in the summer.
Cole Palmer during Chelsea’s clash against Nottingham Forest(Image: Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Only nine players should be afforded the security of a future at Stamford Bridge by the next Chelsea head coach. The Blues are back in the market for a new gaffer after sacking Liam Rosenior, who lasted just 104 days in the dugout.
Excluding interims, the 41-year-old was the fifth boss to part ways with Chelsea since Clearlake Capital, led by Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly, took the reins in May 2022. football.london understands that senior officials are aware they do not get every decision right and are looking to learn from past mistakes.
So, they are willing to take the necessary time before appointing the next head coach, with BlueCo looking for someone who can help develop the young squad. Chelsea have identified Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, and Xabi Alonso as potential candidates for the vacancy in west London.
But, as it stands, it remains unclear who the Blues will appoint. The next Chelsea boss, whoever it may be, will be tasked with rebuilding a squad that’s in desperate need of a new lick of paint.
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So, with that being said, football.london has looked at the nine players the next Chelsea manager needs to build the squad around.
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Four Chelsea defenders survive mass exodus
As part of a long-overdue rebuild at the back, only four defenders should be guaranteed a place in the Chelsea squad next season: Levi Colwill, Reece James, Jorrel Hato, and Josh Acheampong…
Last summer, when Enzo Maresca masterminded a win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, the Blues appeared to have turned a corner. For the first time under the new ownership, Chelsea took a step in the right direction.
The west Londoners were only a couple of signings away from building a backline that could compete on all fronts. All that the former Chelsea boss needed a world-class centre-back to partner Colwill.
Then, at the start of pre-season, the Cobham graduate suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out until May. Suddenly, the Blues needed to sign two centre-backs – one to play on the right and the other to play on the left in the absence of Colwill.
Ironically, the only out-and-out centre-back that the Chelsea sporting directors signed was Mamadou Sarr, who they sent back out on loan to Strasbourg a few weeks later. The 20-year-old was recalled in January, only to make five appearances.
During what has been a difficult period for the Blues, James and Hato are the only defenders that haven’t fallen short of expectation. Meanwhile, for reasons out of their control, whether it be injury or managerial decisions, Colwill and Acheampong have been largely absent this term.
Chelsea fight to keep midfield maestros
Chelsea will have to fight to keep Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo at Stamford Bridge next season. If they were to leave, the next Blues boss would have to rebuild the midfield from scratch, which would take an incredible amount of time and resources.
Andrey Santos showed glimpses of great promise under Liam Rosenior, but otherwise struggled to establish himself as a key player. As for Romeo Lavia, he’s fallen short of expectation upon his return from the sidelines, having always caught the eye when Maresca was in charge.
Palmer faces harsh reality of Chelsea form
Cole Palmer will have to make a great impression in pre-season training if he wants to remain a key player under the next Chelsea boss. The 23-year-old midfielder has struggled to impress for a while now, with Joao Pedro shouldering a lot of workload in the final third.
Although Palmer has largely disappointed, he has, in fairness, often been fighting to stay fit this season. When the next Blues boss takes over at the end of the season, he’ll be under pressure to prove his worth – fit or not.
Nine non-negotiables for next Chelsea manager
The next Chelsea manager should rebuild the squad around nine players: Levi Colwill, Reece James, Jorrel Hato, Josh Acheampong, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro, Estevao Willian, and Cole Palmer.
Other than Robert Sanchez and Trevoh Chalobah, whose form under Enzo Maresca could let them off the hook, no other senior player currently on the books at Stamford Bridge should be afforded the security of a place in the squad next season.
