A potential summer fire sale at Chelsea could make the club’s academy staff look for jobs elsewhere. The west London club is expected to make a host of moves during the upcoming transfer window. Blues officials have essentially bought too many players over the last year and need to make some money by selling assets this summer. Many of these outgoing players are expected to be homegrown talent.
Chelsea academy staff among top youth programs in England
The Times is reporting that losing multiple homegrown players does not thrill some Chelsea academy staff members. Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Trevor Chalobah, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek all feature in the rumor mill for sales. The quintet advanced through the youth ranks at the club since they were children. These staff members apparently want to continue to see their homegrown players grow into first-team mainstays.
Chelsea previously dominated youth soccer in England in recent years. In fact, the team collected seven youth FA Cups trophies between 2010 and 2020. Frank Lampard also established a youth presence in the senior squad during his first stint as Chelsea manager. Lampard utilized 11 total academy players during the 2019/20 season, as the club finished fourth in the standings.
Massive spending has bloated the team’s squad
However, Chelsea, under new owner Todd Boehly, has spent over half a billion dollars on new players since last summer. This includes $130 million for Enzo Fernandez, $105 million for Mykhailo Mudryk, and $85 million for Wesley Fofana. Nevertheless, the Premier League club now sits 12th in the table. The spending spree earlier in the season handcuffed the squad’s possibilities.
Chelsea reported massive deficits back in March, the second consecutive year of such losses. The club now has to worry about Financial Fair Play issues as well. Selling players will certainly help ease these concerns, while also giving the new manager money to spend.
Reports in April claimed the Blues may sell at least eight players this summer. Along with the aforementioned homegrown players, Christian Pulisic, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, and Mateo Kovacic could also leave.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Eibner Europa
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Courtesy : https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/chelsea-academy-staff-may-quit-over-potential-player-clear-out-20230502-WST-431406.html