The 4 Players Expected to Leave Chelsea As Lukaku Nears Napoli Move
- Chelsea are desperate to streamline their bloated squad, as four players have been pencilled down for permanent transfers
- Romelu Lukaku undoubtedly headlines the exodus list, with the Belgian forward reportedly set to join Serie A side Napoli
- Meanwhile, the club is still in the transfer market, seeking to bolster their squad, with Pedro Neto the latest to join the Blues
As Chelsea prepare for the 2024/25 season, the club faces the challenge of managing an oversized squad.
With a flurry of activity in the transfer market, the Blues have already secured over five new signings, including the recent addition of Pedro Neto.
Source: Getty Images
This influx has further swelled the squad size, making it imperative for Chelsea to trim their roster before the new campaign kicks off.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the club has identified four players set to depart to address this.
Among them is Romelu Lukaku, who has reportedly agreed to a three-year deal to reunite with his former manager, Antonio Conte, at Napoli.
YEN.com.gh examines the four players set for an exit.
The four players expected to leave Chelsea
4. David Datro Fofana
According to One Football, the 21-year-old is likely to leave Chelsea once more this summer after spending the latter part of last season on loan at Burnley.
Fofana, who has prior experience in Germany, had an earlier loan spell with Union Berlin during the first half of last season.
Unfortunately, his time there didn’t go as planned, and he struggled to hit his stride.
His form improved slightly during his stint at Burnley, where he found the net four times and assisted once in 15 games.
However, it appears his time at Stamford Bridge is run and will be leaving on a permanent basis.
3. Trevoh Chalobah
Chalobah is one of the four names expected to leave Chelsea this summer.
While being a fan favourite and considering Enzo Maresca's side's palpable defensive woes, it beats imagination why the club wants to ship the academy graduate out.
Nonetheless, the 25-year-old has been sidelined from the first-team squad and is currently training with the Under-21s, further emphasising his fall from favour, as noted by the Express.
A new beginning might be just what his career needs at this point.
2. Armando Broja
Despite not being injured, Broja was absent from the squad that lost 2-1 to Real Madrid at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Overall, he played only 72 minutes across five friendlies on Chelsea’s tour of the United States.
The 22-year-old, who spent the latter part of last season on loan at Fulham, is expected to depart this summer.
In his place, 18-year-old Marc Guiu was preferred up front, filling in for the injured Nicolas Jackson—a clear indication that the Albanian is not in Chelsea's plans for next season.
1. Romelu Lukaku
The situation between Chelsea and Romelu Lukaku is a glaring issue—one of the most disappointing partnerships in Premier League history.
When the 29-year-old striker returned to Stamford Bridge for a second stint in 2021, it was expected to be a perfect reunion.
However, after just one season, things quickly deteriorated, and the relationship has never recovered.
Now, the West London club is eager to offload the Belgian international this summer.
A move to Napoli appeared to be on the horizon, with Lukaku keen to reunite with his former Inter Milan coach, Antonio Conte, at the Italian club.
Chelsea boss receives backing from Pep Guardiola
YEN.com.gh earlier reported that Pep Guardiola has backed Enzo Maresca and Chelsea despite their 4-2 defeat to Manchester City in a pre-season clash in Columbus, Ohio.
Despite the setback, Guardiola remains optimistic about Chelsea's prospects.
He expressed confidence in Maresca, with whom he had previously worked closely at Manchester City.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
