sport news Mason Mount and Kai Havertz amongst Chelsea stars in limbo as club aim to ... trends now
After splashing the cash like there was no tomorrow in January, brace yourself for the Todd Boehly mega-sale at Chelsea this summer, where all players on two-year deals or less must go.
Boehly has racked up an unprecedented transfer bill in his first full season at Stamford Bridge, spending £250million last summer before forking out a mind-blowing £300million on new recruits in January.
As a result, the Blues owner will likely need to balance the books when the transfer window reopens in July, and The Telegraph claim he is determined to move on any players who won't commit themselves to the club beyond two years.
Enforcing this strategy would leave several first-team stars vulnerable at the end of the season... so who may be shown the door?
Sportsmail has run the rule over every Chelsea player in the final two years of their contract and assessed whether they should stay or go this summer.
Todd Boehly reportedly wants to sell Chelsea players who do not commit to beyond two years
Such a strategy would leave the futures of players such as Mateo Kovacic, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Mason Mount (left to right) in doubt
N'Golo Kante (Expires this summer)
Kante is understood to be on the verge of signing a new three-year contract, and despite missing most of the season through injury that will be music to Chelsea fans' ears.
It may be a risk given his fitness problems and the fact he turns 32 this month, yet when fit and firing there is no better box-to-box midfielder in world football, so this is a risk worth taking.
VERDICT: KEEP
Mateo Kovacic (Expires next year)
With just over a year to run on his latest deal, the Croatian midfielder has a tough decision to make this summer as he eyes what could be the final long-term contract of his career ahead of his 29th birthday in May.
Reports suggest Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are interested in prising him away from the Blues, which says it all about how brilliant a player he is on his day. Boehly should do everything possible to keep Kovacic at Stamford Bridge.
VERDICT: KEEP
Christian Pulisic (Expires next year)
There were once high hopes for Pulisic when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2019 and quickly showed flashes of the breathtaking quality he possesses. Some, including this writer, felt he could even go on and emulate the much-revered Eden Hazard.
N'Golo Kante is on the verge of signing a new three-year contract despite his injury problems
Kovacic is wanted by Man City this summer, which shows why Chelsea should try to keep him
Pulisic has failed to unlock his early potential and is not deserving of a bumper new contract
However, a series of injury problems over the past three years have prevented the American from unlocking this early potential, with inconsistency and a lack of end product blighting his game in recent seasons. It may suit all parties to go their separate ways this summer.
VERDICT: SELL
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Expires in 2024, with option of further year)
While he has never truly got back to his best after suffering a serious Achilles injury in 2019, the 27-year-old remains a useful squad player for a club with ambitions to compete on four fronts.
Chelsea have the option to extend his current deal by an extra year, yet Boehly may wish to make it two under his long-term strategy.
VERDICT: KEEP
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Expires in 2024)
One of the easiest choices on the list, Aubameyang has continued Chelsea's long-running No 9 curse since joining from Barcelona last summer, having rapidly fallen out of favour under Graham Potter this year.
It is tough to envisage him sticking around for another season, though the Blues may struggle to find a buyer at the end of the current campaign.
VERDICT: SELL
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a disastrous signing and is unlikely to stick around
Mason Mount (Expires in 2024)
The prospect of Mount leaving Chelsea was unfathomable as recently as six months ago. But with the academy graduate reportedly reluctant to sign one of Boehly's mammoth contracts, his future is uncertain heading into the summer window.
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