Players set to leave Chelsea after victory over Watford in season finale

Chelsea ended a chaotic season with victory over Watford at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. 

Thomas Tuchel’s side finished the campaign in third, having ended up as runners-up in both domestic cups, and will be largely pleased with their efforts considering the circumstances surrounding their season.

The sanctions imposed on former owner Roman Abramovich prevented the club from selling tickets for their final home games, and also ruled out any chance of persuading players nearing the expiry of their contracts to extend their deals.

This summer promises to be an interesting one, though, with several players departing and a number of names likely to be brought in.

Tuchel even said himself in his post match interview on Sunday that he has no time for a break as there ‘is too much to do’, with confirmation of Todd Boehly’s takeover of the club imminent.

Below, we look at the players who may leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

Antonio Rudiger

One of the players certain to depart Chelsea this summer is Antonio Rudiger. The German defender’s move to Real Madrid is all-but-confirmed, and he gave a departing interview to the club’s media after the final whistle on Saturday. Rudiger played more minutes than any other outfield player for the Blues this term, and it won’t be easy to replace the 29-year-old.

Rudiger waved goodbye to Chelsea supporters on Sunday

Andreas Christensen

Another player who has already agreed a move away from the club is Andreas Christensen, who is believed to have agreed terms with Barcelona. The Dane has struggled to maintain a starting spot throughout his ten years in west London, but established himself as a regular over the past 18 months and impressed on Chelsea’s run to Champions League glory last season.

Marcos Alonso

Another player partaking in the Blues’ mass exodus of defenders could be Marcos Alonso, who has reportedly decided he wants to leave the club. Barcelona are rumoured to be interested in the 31-year-old, and the player is keen on the idea. The Spaniard has divided fans with his performances ever since arriving in 2016, but if he does seal a move away he will leave having won six trophies including the Champions League and Premier League.

Alonso reportedly wants to leave Chelsea this summer

Cesar Azpilicueta

Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta would certainly raise a few eyebrows if he were to depart Stamford Bridge after ten years with the club, especially considering that a 12-month extension to his deal was triggered last month. The Spaniard is reportedly also a target for Barcelona, though, who could line up next season with a back four that includes three of Chelsea’s current backline. Azpilicueta has made more than 475 appearances for the Blues, and has won every trophy available to him.

Jorginho

Italian midfielder Jorginho could be on his way out of Chelsea this summer. The 30-year-old arrived during the same summer that Maurizio Sarri was appointed as Blues boss, and could reportedly be on his way back to Italy to reunite with his former boss, who now manages Lazio.

Jorginho could return to Italy this summer

Ross Barkley

Ex-Everton man Ross Barkley scored his first goal of the season to give Chelsea victory over Watford on Sunday, in what was his 100th appearance for the club. It seems unlikely that he will remain a Chelsea player next season, though, having played just 175 minutes of top flight football so far this term.

Romelu Lukaku

Chelsea could look to sell Lukaku after a disappointing season

Arguably Tuchel’s biggest dilemma this summer will be what to do with Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian cost Chelsea almost £100 million when he returned to the club last summer, but has scored just eight Premier League goals all season. The striker also did an infamous interview with Italian media, during which he criticised Tuchel’s style and hinted that he wanted to return to Italy, which didn’t go down well with the club’s fans. Chelsea’s main issue with offloading Lukaku will be finding a club that are willing to meet his wage demands, and it appears almost certain that they will have to sell the player for a significant loss if they are to let him go.

With Boehly’s takeover of the club set to be confirmed in the coming days, Chelsea can then look to buy and sell players. By that time, the likes of Rudiger and Christensen may already have left the club, and Tuchel will undoubtedly waste no time in sourcing replacements for the pair. Tuchel will also be looking for reinforcements in both wing-back positions, with injuries to Ben Chilwell and Reece James highlighting their lack of depth and derailing their season earlier this year.