After new signings coming in this summer, there was always going to be a point when Frank Lampard needed to sell one or two players to balance up the books a little.
There are 48 hours to go until the transfer window closes for another few months, and there could well be some more comings and goings at Stamford Bridge before then.
One of those earmarked for a move is defender, Antonio Rudiger.
He had already fallen out of favour under Lampard, but has fallen even further down the Blues pecking order since the arrival of Thiago Silva.
According to The Athletic, despite interest from a number of clubs, the German would prefer to go to Chelsea’s London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.
However, the outlet also suggest that the toxic nature of the relationship between the two clubs mean that the Blues would prefer to sell Rudiger to anyone other than the north Londoners.
The ball now seems to be very much in Rudiger’s court as to whether he tries to hold out for a move to the Lilywhites, or accepts that the only way he will get a move is if he goes elsewhere.