With Xabi Alonso en route, big changes are expected at Chelsea this summer, with several players potentially set to make their final appearances for the club this Sunday
Chelsea meet Sunderland on Sunday to close out an underwhelming and ultimately frustrating campaign. However, despite the negativity, a real sense of optimism is beginning to emerge at Stamford Bridge ahead of the arrival of Xabi Alonso.
The Spaniard, set to officially take charge on July 1, has a huge job in instilling a clear identity and a winning mentality into a squad that has lacked direction and purpose under BlueCo.
It’s understood Alonso will receive a significant transfer budget to strengthen the first team this summer and will also have more control over recruitment than any of his recent predecessors.
Change is therefore afoot, with Chelsea expected to reduce the squad size to create space for another major spending spree. Ahead of Sunday’s finale, here are seven players who could be playing their final games for the club.
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Enzo Fernandez
There has been constant speculation about Enzo Fernandez and ongoing rumours over his future. Talk of a big-money switch to Real Madrid has been around for more than a year and the Argentina midfielder intensified speculation in March when he openly expressed his fondness for the Spanish capital and said he would evaluate his future after the World Cup.
With Jose Mourinho expected to take charge at the Bernabeu this summer, interest in Fernandez is unlikely to fade soon. That said, Chelsea are in a strong position when it comes to any negotiations.
Fernandez still has five years remaining on his Stamford Bridge deal, and after paying £106million to bring him from Benfica in 2023, Chelsea are expected to demand a similarly huge fee before even entertaining a sale.
Real Madrid are not the financial powerhouse they once were but history shows that when president Florentino Perez targets a player, he usually gets his man.
Marc Cucurella
Marc Cucurella has developed significantly at Chelsea, becoming one of Europe’s top left-backs after a difficult opening spell in west London. As with Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea have no plans to sell him but growing interest from Spain could create complications.
It is understood Barcelona are interested in signing the 27-year-old, who came through their academy. In March, the defender admitted that it would be “hard to turn down” an offer to return to the Camp Nou – but later clarified that he was “very happy” at Chelsea.
With Xabi Alonso now in place, Chelsea have a strong advantage in convincing Cucurella to remain, especially given the former Bayer Leverkusen boss’s preference for attacking, high-energy full-backs. However, reported interest in bringing back Newcastle’s Lewis Hall this summer suggests plans for a future without Cucurella are already being made.
Liam Delap
It’s been a tough season for Liam Delap, who seems to be the latest victim of Chelsea’s ongoing No. 9 curse. The English striker, signed from Ipswich last summer, has struggled with injuries and when available has been behind the in-form Joao Pedro in the pecking order.
Normally, this could be put down to a tough adjustment period and a chance to reset for next season. However, Delap’s return of only two goals in 40 appearances – mostly brief cameos, but still – has raised doubts over his long-term future at the club, with a summer exit starting to look realistic.
Xabi Alonso is said to have been promised three or four ‘ready made’ first-team additions, including a likely centre-forward. With Joao Pedro and further new arrivals potentially ahead of him in the attacking hierarchy, Delap could be forced to move on and seek a fresh start elsewhere.
Alejandro Garnacho
Alejandro Garnacho’s debut season at Chelsea has been disappointing. Only one goal in 24 league appearances, in a campaign where competition on the left side was lighter than expected due to Jamie Gittens missing much of the year through injury, is a poor return.
Chelsea may already be re-evaluating matters and, given their recent tendency to offload players soon after signing them – as seen with Jadon Sancho and Joao Felix – a summer departure is not entirely out of the question.
It remains unclear whether there is strong demand for the Argentina international, particularly if Chelsea aim to recover much of the £40m they spent on him a year ago. With Garnacho out of form and supporters becoming increasingly frustrated with his performances, an exit could suit everyone involved.
Filip Jorgensen
While Filip Jorgensen has been Chelsea’s second-choice goalkeeper since arriving from Villarreal in 2024, he has still made a respectable number of appearances, featuring 37 times in all competitions. However, he is likely to drop down the goalkeeping hierarchy this summer, with Chelsea expected to strengthen their options between the sticks.
Whether that arrives in the form of a big-name signing like Mike Maignan from AC Milan or the promotion of highly rated youngster Mike Penders – currently on loan at Strasbourg – remains uncertain.
In any case, Jorgensen’s future at Stamford Bridge appears unclear, and he may have to look elsewhere for regular game time or risk becoming third-choice.
Benoit Badiashile
After making only 13 Premier League appearances since the end of the 2023/24 campaign, Benoit Badiashile’s Chelsea career appears to be over.
The French defender still has four years remaining on his contract but with Chelsea targeting one or two centre-back signings this summer, Badiashile is expected to be on the transfer list, especially as youngsters Josh Acheampong and Mamadou Sarr have been preferred in recent months.
Marc Guiu
After starting the season with a short loan at Sunderland, Marc Guiu could end up completing a full circle by finishing his Chelsea spell with one last appearance at the Stadium of Light.
The former Barcelona youth player has played only limited minutes for Chelsea, despite their well-known injury problems in attack. Although his long-term potential is still uncertain, it increasingly seems unlikely that his future will be in west London.
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