CHELSEA could save £862,000-A-WEEK by offloading ten outcasts this summer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga and Kurt Zouma are two high profile stars whose departures could free up some cash.
Kepa is the highest paid player who could leave to save Chelsea money in the summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Kurt Zouma is another first-teamer who could be on his way outCredit: Getty Images – Getty
While several players currently out on loan could also make room on the wage bill.
Out of favour Kepa pulls in £150k-a-week and is still No 2 behind Edouard Mendy even after Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard.
The Spaniard is likely to leave this summer while Zouma has also been cast out by Tuchel despite being one of the first names on the team sheet under Lampard.
Zouma earns just £40k-a-week but if fellow defensive exile Emerson was to leave too, an additional £75k-a-week would be freed up.
The Blues are famed for their approach to hoarding players and loaning them out.
As recently as October they had 25 players out on loan with a combined transfer value of £121m.
Although the majority of those deals include the loanee club paying a percentage of the players’ wages, the Blues are still liable for them if they return to Stamford Bridge.
And it is from this loan army the remaining seven would need to be axed in order to make the eye-watering £862k-a-week saving.
ONLINE CASINO OFFERS: CLAIM OVER £800 IN BONUS CASH
Chelsea have one of the highest wage bills in Europe
Victor Moses’ Blues contract is worth £75k-a-week and he is on loan at Spartak Moscow.
Ross Barkley (£96k) and Danny Drinkwater (£100k) are at Aston Villa and Kasimpasa respectively with the latter certainly not in Thomas Tuchel’s plans.
Which leaves Tiemoue Bakayoko (110k), Michy Batshuayi (90k), Davide Zappacosta (70k) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£60k).
Bakayoko is with Napoli while Batshuayi is struggling to get in the Crystal Palace team.
Zappacosta is with Italian side Genoa and Loftus-Cheek is at Chelsea’s West London rivals Fulham.
With the exception of Barkley and Loftus-Cheek, the remainder of those loanees have next to no chance of playing for Chelsea again.
But it remains to be seen whether Zouma and Kepa can force their way back into Tuchel’s team.
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
Danny Drinkwater’s Chelsea career is as good as overCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Ross Barkley has settled in well on loan at Aston VillaCredit: Paul Marriott – The Sun
Ruben Loftus-Cheek is on loan at Fulham but could still have a future at the BluesCredit: AP:Associated Press
Steve McManaman hails ‘brilliant’ Chelsea star Mason Mount against Atletico Madrid
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
