With the season now over, speculation has begun and the usual rumours about who is coming and who is leaving Chelsea is already in full swing. The fact Chelsea finished in a disappointing 5th place this season and will be without Champions League football could seriously affect who could come into the club this summer, but what about the players who have put Chelsea in this predicament? Who should stay to return the club to past glories and who should leave and preferably never come back? Let’s take a look at the squad…
Goalkeepers
Thibaut Courtois – TBO isn’t the most popular of Chelsea players because of his almost monthly pleas for any club in Madrid to take him away from rainy London. Coming off a distinctly average season, it might be time for the Chelsea hierarchy to grant him his wish and let him go. Verdict Leave
Willy Caballero – Performs his duties as a backup adequately and has Premier League experience. Verdict Stay
Defenders
Antonio Rudiger – Grew into his first season as a Chelsea player and ended the season very promisingly. His future at the club will be bright. Verdict Stay
Marcos Alonso – A steady player if not a little unspectacular, but he does the job and is also a huge asset in terms of taking free kicks. Verdict Stay
Victor Moses – Antonio Conte has done a fantastic job in turning the Nigerian into a useful player, unfortunately having him as your starting RWB in a top 6 squad doesn’t sound right. Verdict Leave
Davide Zappacosta – Unfortunately, Zappacosta has played exactly like the 4th or 5th choice right back signing in the summer he was. A very ordinary player who isn’t at the level required. Verdict Leave
Gary Cahill – The club captain is much maligned, but his experience is valuable, although he shouldn’t be a starter he should stick around to be a leader in the dressing room. Verdict Stay
Andreas Christensen – Potentially a future Chelsea captain, had a good three quarters of a first year in the first team before fatigue started creeping in. Verdict Stay
Cesar Azpilicueta – Mr dependable, never ever lets the team down while always giving his best. It’s almost hard to imagine he was only signed for £7 million! Verdict Stay
David Luiz – His second spell at the club began so well last season where he turned back the clock and showed why he was so loved at the Bridge in the first place. This season has been a backwards step as ill-discipline and a niggling injury have hindered his progress. Having just turned 31, it might be the last opportunity to cut ties with the player again for a decent fee. Verdict Leave
Emerson – Only arrived in January so difficult to judge. Looked to be a real athlete in the few appearances he did make. A possible bright future. Verdict Stay
Midfielders
Cesc Fabregas – The best creative midfielder at the club, however he’s not young enough to play every single minute anymore. It’s best he takes a secondary role to provide a different spark from off the bench. Verdict Stay
Danny Drinkwater – A very random signing in the first place, the former Leicester man just hasn’t fit in well. It would be better for both himself and the club if he leaves this summer. Verdict Leave
N’Golo Kante – The club cannot afford to lose the effervescent Frenchman. The first name on the team sheet and the one who provides the energy for the whole team. Verdict Stay
Ross Barkley – Another random signing in January by the Blues but there is at least the hope that he can return to the form he showed in his final season at Everton surrounded by a higher calibre of player. Verdict Stay
Eden Hazard – Although there is always speculation about his future at Chelsea, Hazard genuinely seems content at the club. There is no denying the fact that if Chelsea were to lose him, he would be virtually impossible to replace, that’s why they must do everything they can to get him to sign a new contract and tie him down for as long as possible. Verdict Stay
Pedro – After such an effective season last year it was hoped that Pedro could maintain the same form this season. Sadly, he was inconsistent throughout the year, only managing 7 goals all season. Verdict Leave
Tiemoue Bakayoko – It was a truly horrific first season for Bakayoko who can only claim to have played well five times (at most) this season. All hope isn’t lost though, this is a player that who anchored a league winning Monaco side and with a year adapting to league under his belt hopefully can flourish into the player we all know he can be. Verdict Stay
Willian – Willian is such a hard player to judge. He can go through periods of exquisite performances, beautiful free kicks and more but then he has spells where his final ball is never quite there. For any watching Chelsea fan this can be extremely frustrating as we know how good he can be. His Instagram antics after the FA Cup Final can’t have been received well so his future is very unclear. Verdict (If Conte stays) Leave
Strikers
Alvaro Morata – An up and down season for the striker which ultimately cost him his squad place at the World Cup with Spain. Chelsea should stick by their £60 million signing though, a world class striker is in there…somewhere. Verdict Stay
Olivier Giroud – A breath of fresh air after January and proved to be a very useful squad signing. Depending on whether the manager decides to rely on the returning Tammy Abraham & Michy Batshuayi, game time could be limited for Giroud next season. Verdict Stay
