Chelsea Face Two-Week Deadline to Clear £278m Worth of Players as Xabi Alonso Eyes Squad Overhaul

Chelsea must move fast. With the transfer window opening on June 15, the club has roughly two weeks to offload players deemed surplus to requirements before Xabi Alonso officially begins his tenure on July 1. The new Blues manager, who signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, wants a clean slate, and the sporting leadership team is targeting up to 11 departures to raise funds and trim a bloated squad.

When Alonso agreed to become the permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, he was direct about his goals.

“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club. 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.”

The 44-year-old, who stepped down as Real Madrid head coach at the start of the year, is not walking into a quiet summer.

Before Chelsea pursue new signings, the books need to be balanced. Below are the 11 players who could be moved on in the coming weeks.

Filip Jorgensen

Chelsea paid £20.7 million in the summer of 2024 to sign Jorgensen from Villarreal. The then-22-year-old arrived after his first full season as a number one and was expected to compete with Robert Sanchez. His footwork was tidy, but he looked out of his depth when called upon. Unless Sanchez made a high-profile error, Jorgensen was largely restricted to cup appearances. A loan or permanent sale would benefit both parties, and the club needs a senior backup with genuine experience rather than a young goalkeeper waiting for scraps.

Wesley Fofana

Chelsea signed Fofana from Leicester City for an initial £70 million in August 2022. At 25, the defender was expected to cover when Levi Colwill suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in pre-season. He and Trevoh Chalobah showed brief promise as a partnership under Enzo Maresca, but Fofana faded as the season progressed. For a player carrying that price tag, wage bill, and persistent availability concerns, the sloppy red card on the final day was a fitting summary of a frustrating campaign. He is not the answer alongside Colwill next season.

Malo Gusto

Gusto was a fixture in Maresca‘s setup, regularly selected for the more demanding fixtures. The 23-year-old, signed from Lyon for £30.7 million in January 2023, has not maintained that standard since the Italian’s departure, and questions about his long-term role at the club are legitimate.

Tosin Adarabioyo

Tosin‘s two major errors in the defeat to Leeds United late last year proved costly, and the 28-year-old centre-half never quite recovered. He was miscast by the club’s hierarchy as the Blues‘ experienced presence, but experience and quality are not interchangeable. Enzo Fernandez, three years younger, has competed and won at a higher level. Tosin was not signed on a free from Fulham to fulfil a symbolic role, and the gap between expectation and output has been too wide to ignore.

Benoit Badiashile

Badiashile has failed to establish himself since joining from Monaco for £35 million in January 2023. At 25, the Frenchman faces a congested defensive unit. Colwill returns from injury, Jorrel Hato has grown into a dependable option, and Chalobah alongside Josh Acheampong are competing for the right-sided centre-half spot. There is no obvious pathway for Badiashile in Alonso‘s structure.

Alejandro Garnacho

Garnacho arrived from Manchester United for £40 million carrying a reputation that turned out to be overblown. The 21-year-old‘s attitude has been professional. His output, though, has not matched the need. He drifts into dangerous areas but wastes too many final-ball situations. The Argentina international may develop into a reliable wide player, but Chelsea need that quality now. Jamie Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for around £50 million, has missed most of the campaign through injury and was rarely used even when fit. With the club needing a left-winger capable of competing at the top level, Garnacho looks likely to make way.

Liam Delap

Delap joined as a forward built for transition, which was a poor fit for a Chelsea side that largely faced low defensive blocks. Even in situations that should have suited him, the 23-year-old was wasteful. He has shown finishing ability elsewhere, and a move providing consistent minutes could revive his trajectory. At roughly £30 million paid to Ipswich Town, the club could recoup the fee or turn a profit.

Marc Guiu

Guiu deserves a fairer platform than he has received. The 20-year-old Spaniard, signed from Barcelona for just £5 million in July 2024, showed promise early before injury disrupted his rhythm. He was loaned to Sunderland, quickly recalled when Nicolas Jackson forced a transfer to Bayern Munich, and has since started just five games for Chelsea, logging under 600 minutes. A permanent exit would give him the sustained run he needs.

Read also: Antonio Conte Exits Napoli After Back-to-Back Top-Two Finishes, Nominates Pep Guardiola for Italy Job

Three Loanees Facing the Exit

Axel Disasi, Tyrqiue George, and David Datro Fofana are all returning from loan spells with little indication that Alonso has plans for any of them.

Disasi, signed from Monaco for £38.5 million in August 2023, spent the second half of the season at West Ham. He performed better in their low-block system, but the Hammers were relegated from the Premier League, limiting the impact of that stint.

George joined Everton on loan during the winter window. The 20-year-old winger started just once for David Moyes‘ side, totalling around 200 minutes of football. The Toffees hold an option to buy him this summer.

Datro Fofana, acquired from Molde for approximately £8 million in January 2023, made a positive impression on his debut, coming off the bench in a 4-0 FA Cup defeat to Manchester City. He appeared only three more times for the first team before spending every subsequent season away on loan. His latest spell at Strasbourg, also under the BlueCo umbrella, yielded just one assist in nine games across all competitions. The numbers make a strong case for a permanent departure.

The window opens in days. Alonso needs space, funds, and clarity before he begins building. Follow TipsGG for full coverage of Chelsea‘s transfer activity throughout the summer.