Jason Cundy has told Chelsea they need to sell four defenders this summer to avoid stagnating the progress of Josh Acheampong.
The Blues now have a near-impossible task to qualify for Champions League football as a 1-1 draw with Liverpool left the club nine points outside the top five.
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However, Chelsea can still feature in Europe’s elite club competition next season if they finish sixth and Aston Villa win the Europa League along with finishing fifth.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, making that scenario a reality will be extremely difficult as they are six points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth, who improved to 55 points thanks to a 1-0 win over Fulham on Saturday.
Interim boss Calum McFarlane is currently leading the west London outfit after Liam Rosenior was dismissed. Whoever is appointed as the next head coach will have to navigate the upcoming transfer window carefully.
Missing out on the premium European competition could lead to more financial issues and may force the club to sell talent.
Goalkeeper dilemma
This week, on eSPORTY’s Inside Chelsea, former player Cundy and broadcasters Matisse Armani and Kweku Afari debated which players should leave Stamford Bridge this summer.
When discussing the goalkeepers, the panel agreed that neither Robert Sanchez nor Filip Jorgensen is of the required standard to be the club’s first choice.
Cundy said: “I feel sorry for Robert because he was having a very good season until Rosenior came in, and since he left, we can see his game is coming back.
“I still feel he’s an asset, but he’s a number two. Jorgensen is not on the same level, so he would be the one who needs to be loaned out or sold.”
Amari agreed but noted that Sanchez, having been Chelsea’s primary keeper for the last two and a half seasons, may not be content sitting on the bench.
Wholesale of centre-backs
Cundy predicts a massive clear out in the heart of defence: “I think we will see all three of Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Axel Disasi all make way this summer, it wouldn’t surprise me if they all leave.”
Amari replied: “For me, you have to have wholesale changes back there. Those guys have been there for a few years, struggling with injury or just not good enough.
“Under Graham Potter, Badiashile played quite well but then he just got injuries.”
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The former Monaco defender failed to earn the trust of Enzo Maresca with most of his appearances coming in the Conference League.
Chalobah vs Acheampong debate
The panel was split on Cobham’s own Trevoh Chalobah, who has made 44 appearances this season since returning from a short loan spell at Crystal Palace.
Under the BlueCo ownership, players with two years remaining on their deal, like the 26-year-old, are typically sold or offered new terms.
Cundy said: “I’m keeping Trev, but I just wonder if the new saying of ‘pure profit’ influences a decision but it wouldn’t surprise me with this ownership.”
Amari countered: “He’s a tricky one because I don’t think he’s anything more than a squad player. I wouldn’t keep him at the cost of a player like Josh Acheampong.
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“Because Acheampong is getting such few minutes, he could make a case to leave.
“You have to make room and for me, Trevor has a very clear ceiling to him. He never dominates the box aerially and there have been too many mistakes from him this season.
“The one thing that does go in his favour is his durability which is probably why it’s a tricky decision.
The end for Fofana?
Additionally, another player they unanimously agreed to sell on was Wesley Fofana. Despite the £70million fee paid to Leicester City, the defender has been plagued by injury.
Since Rosenior’s sacking, the Frenchman had not started a match until the 1-1 draw with Liverpool as McFarlane opted to leave the 25-year-old on the bench for the Blues’ games against Forest and Leeds United in the FA Cup.
Cundy concluded: “I think his days at Stamford Bridge are over. His injury record and recent performances show me why. His body language, I don’t know whether he wants to be here anymore.
“That’s the thing I love about Chalobah, he represents me on the pitch. He’s never going to be the greatest centre-back in the world, we all know that.
“But he has a heart as big as a bucket. He always puts himself on the line and I don’t get that from Fofana.”
Next week on the show, the panel will discuss the potential futures of forwards and wingers, having agreed to keep the club’s current midfield.
