BlueCo could be about to make a £49m loss on Chelsea player, but it’s the right call

QUARTER-FINAL 1: Reece James vs Estevao Willian

Fofana, Mamadou Sarr, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo and Levi Colwill are also options in the middle of the defence. A few will have to leave, with Chelsea eyeing new centre-backs.

Some reports claim Chelsea are willing to listen to offers for Tosin, Chalobah and Badiashile, while Disasi is likely to be sold and Anselmino could go on loan again. Now, Fofana could be set to leave West London.

Chelsea are right to sell Wesley Fofana, even for a massive loss

Fofana has endured a dismal four-year spell at Chelsea, following his huge £75m move from Leicester in BlueCo’s first summer at the club. Just 68 outings have followed after many injuries and bouts of form.

His attitude has also come under the microscope. Laughing and joking with Ousmane Dembele after the loss to PSG, Fofana apologised after shrugging off Liam Rosenior’s coaching staff against Man United.

Calum McFarlane has dropped the Frenchman against Leeds and Forest, and rightly so. This is a player struggling to prove why he cost so much in the first place, and clearly, he needs a change of scenery.

Reports say Fofana’s agents are in talks with Barcelona, with Chelsea willing to sell him for just £26m. Even if BlueCo suffer a massive loss on the 25-year-old, as much as £49m, selling Fofana is the right decision.

His attitude, his injuries and his lack of form are everything bad about Chelsea right now. The Blues are the worst side in the Premier League at defending open-play crosses, and Fofana has been central to that.

Trevoh Chalobah has been getting away it for too long 😑

This is alarming!

Fofana’s biggest weakness laid bare as Chelsea open to sale

For many Chelsea fans, the biggest problem is at centre-back. The club’s inability to find two defenders able to keep the ball out of the back of the net is worrying, especially given the amount spent.

But with Fofana specifically, it turns out he is in the bottom 5% of Premier League centre-backs for ground duels won. This season, he has won 58; but that equates to just 42.1% of duels he’s entered.

Ultimately, Fofana isn’t strong enough defensively to play for a club like Chelsea. Does he make up for it in terms of leadership, ability on the ball or versatility? None of the above. Chelsea need to sell him.

Even if they make a big loss on Fofana, getting him off the books is the right call. His transfer fee is only going to dwindle further come next summer, so selling him in the next few months does make sense.