Chelsea are preparing to offload several players this summer in a bid to reduce their wage bill and make space for new arrivals
The Blues spent a whopping £585.5 million across Todd Boehly’s first two transfer windows as the new owner, so it’s no surprise that exits are on the horizon over the forthcoming months.
The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly are expected to bring the curtains down on their European careers by completing moves to the Saudi Pro League, where they’ll join former teammate N’Golo Kante.
Manchester United are also looking to take Cobham graduate Mason Mount this summer and have already seen a £40 million bid swiftly rebutted by the club.
Chelsea set high valuation but could be forced to accept less
Chelsea value the 24-year-old, who provided the assist to secure their second Champions League title, at £75 million. However, their need to sanction departures may see United acquire him at a cut-price deal, with their next bid expected to be around the £50 million mark.
One factor which may swing the negotiations in the Reds’ favour is that the midfielder’s contract expires at the end of next season, meaning if Chelsea do not offload him now, they risk losing him as a free agent in 2024.