Pochettino ‘ready to sacrifice’ Thiago Silva and four other players
It might have been a quiet January transfer window by Chelsea’s crazy standards, but Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly preparing a fire-sale in order to make signings in the summer. The club is currently hampered by FFP regulations, with owner Todd Boehly having splashed out more than £1billion since taking over ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
Despite setting up a League Cup final clash with Liverpool this season, the Blues appear to have work aplenty to do in order to establish themselves as title challengers again. They went to Anfield in the Premier League on Wednesday, and were hammered 4-1 to be left languishing 10th in the table.
And with Pochettino needing to raise funds before he is able to make signings, Brazilian centre-back Thiago Silva is set to be released in the summer. Silva, who turns 40 in September, is out of contract this summer with the club reportedly happy to sacrifice his experience in order to get him off the wage bill, with no talks having taken place over a potential extension.
According to the Athletic, four homegrown players are also set to be sold, a development that would severely boost Chelsea’s standing with FFP. The futures of Conor Gallagher, Ian Maatsen, Armando Broja, and Trevoh Chalobah are seemingly up in the air despite the January transfer window closing.
Gallagher was heavily linked with Tottenham last month, with Chelsea’s London rivals seemingly balking at the £50million valuation. But with less than 18 months remaining on his contract, the club face having to sell him next summer or risk losing him for free in 2025.
The club have also lined-up a windfall for Maatsen. After agreeing a new contract which contains a £35m buyout clause, the left-back moved to Borussia Dortmund on loan with the Bundesliga club now having the option to make the move permanent in June.
Broja also left the club, joining Fulham on loan on deadline day. The Cottagers paid an initial £4million fee, although that figure could drop depending on appearances made, and the Albanian is not expected to stay at Chelsea next season.
Chalobah’s chances of a January move were scuppered due to current fitness issues, with the forward having been injured for much of the season. Another academy product, he is also expected to depart at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.
And the sales will be needed if the club are to pursue one of their main targets. Pochettino has long been tipped to make a move for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, whose contract in Italy contains a £103m release clause.