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Chelsea have been diligently preparing for the new season and life under new manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Blues recently wrapped up their pre-season tour in the United States with a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund.
They had earlier played newly-promoted League Two side Wrexham. They also participated in the Premier League Summer Series alongside other Premier League sides like Newcastle, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Fulham amongst others.
The Blues have also been very active in the ongoing transfer market. A massive clearout has seen 17 players (sold or released) leave the club so far this summer.
There have also been some new intakes at the club, with the likes of Christopher Nkunku, Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, and Lesley Ugochukwu joining the roster at Stamford Bridge.
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Despite the massive exodus the club has witnessed this summer, Pochettino still has a bloated squad with as many as 29 players in the team's pre-season squad. Furthermore, the club could still rope in more legs as they are currently linked to Moises Caicedo and Dusan Vlahovic.
Last term, the London team had 33 players on their roster, which created a selection issue for the four managers they deployed which resulted in an unbalanced squad.
Thus, it can be stated that the Blues still need to get rid of some players in order to further trim the squad. Without further ado, let's look at five players who could still leave the club this summer.
#5 Lewis Hall
Lewis Hall, the England U-21 international enjoyed a fair amount of first-team football last term under Graham Potter and Frank Lampard. He made nine league appearances and also featured once in the FA Cup and League Cup.
The 18-year-old left-back deputized for Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella. However, his chances of retaining a first-team spot under Pochettino now look dim following the performance of Ian Maatseen in pre-season.
Maatseen has greatly impressed the manager and is the favorite to stand in as deputy for Chilwell at left-back. A loan deal would be a good move for Hall, who was named 'Chelsea's Youth Player of the Season' last term.
#4 Trevoh Chalobah
Trevoh Chalobah's exit from Stamford Bridge this summer looks highly inevitable following the signing of French defender Axel Disasi. The decision to bring in the Frenchman hints that Pochettino is not fully convinced that Chaloabah has what it takes to be a part of his squad.
Additionally, Chalobah has played a deputy role for Chelsea since making his first-team debut two seasons ago. The capture of Disasi sends him further down the pecking order in his department.
The Cobham Academy graduate is a decent player with a lot of potential. At 24, he deserves regular playing time to further boost his confidence and quality. A move away from Stamford Bridge will be beneficial to both the player and the club.
#3 Callum Hudson-Odoi
The right-winger could join the long list of Cobham Academy products who left the club after failing to leave a mark with the first team. Callum Hudson-Odoi is currently the second-oldest serving member at Chelsea. The 22-year-old made his first-team debut back in 2018 under then-manager Maurizio Saari.
Since then, he has struggled to make a significant impact on the team and has mostly played a minor role. Apparently, it seems time has run out for Hudson-Odoi to prove himself at his boyhood club.
He spent the previous season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen but didn't impress the club enough for them to consider a permanent move.
The Englishman's permanent exit looks inevitable this summer after he was left out of Chelsea's pre-season and put on the sale list. As reported by Hard Tackle Fulham has shown huge interest in acquiring his services.
#2 Hakim Ziyech
One player who the club would desperately want to get off their books this summer is the Moroccan Hakim Ziyech. The 30-year-old is clearly surplus to requirement and not a part of Pochettino's plans.
Ziyech was set for a move to Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr, but the deal fell through after the former Ajax star reportedly failed his medicals. The right-winger was also the subject of a failed transfer to Paris Saint Germain (PSG) in January.
It is interesting to see what turn his future will take. Football Today reports that the tricky winger fancies a move back to Ajax, and is also attracting interest from other Saudi clubs.
#1 Marc Cucurella
The Spanish defender was one of Chelsea's major signings of the previous summer. He was brought in from Brighton for a staggering £60 million after a brilliant 2021-22 debut season with the Seagulls.
However, the Spaniard has failed to justify his price tag and could be offloaded just after a season. During pre-season activities, it appears that the manager prefers Chilwell as his top choice for the left-back position. Additionally, with Maatsen showing promise, it's possible that Cucurella may be leaving the team this summer.
