**Chelsea’s Squad Review: Keep, Sell, or Loan**
Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Conor Gallagher, and Raheem Sterling are currently part of Chelsea’s squad. We are evaluating the entire team to decide who should stay, be sold, or loaned out. Our counterparts at Arsenal and Manchester United lack the number of Football Manager wonderkids we have, so we’ve skipped the loan analysis for them.
**Goalkeepers:**
– **Sell Robert Sanchez:** This might be controversial, but Sanchez is mediocre and makes frequent mistakes. With an abundance of goalkeepers, selling Sanchez is logical.
– **Keep Djordje Petrovic:** Petrovic impressed more than Sanchez last season and should be retained.
– **Marcus Bettinelli:** Bettinelli can stay to make up the numbers.
– **Loan Lucas Bergstrom:** Bergstrom will never be Chelsea’s starting goalkeeper. Loan him out to increase his market value or sell him outright.
– **Sell Gabriel Slonina:** After signing Slonina from Chicago Fire in 2022, he was loaned to Belgian side Eupen last year. This signing has not paid off as Petrovic, another ex-MLS player, is far superior.
– **Sell Kepa Arrizabalaga:** Kepa, the most expensive goalkeeper in history, has never lived up to his price tag. After his loan to Real Madrid in 2023-2024, it’s time to cut ties.
**Defenders:**
– **Keep Reece James:** Despite his injury issues, James remains Chelsea’s captain and one of the best right-backs when fit. The team should retain homegrown players like him.
– **Keep Malo Gusto:** Since joining Chelsea last January, Gusto has played extensively, benefiting from James’ injuries. Though he had a shaky start, he has shown promise.
– **Sell Malang Sarr:** Sarr is under contract until 2025, but it’s time to part ways permanently.
– **Keep Benoit Badiashile:** Badiashile has shown potential despite inconsistency. There’s no need to sell him.
– **Keep Axel Disasi:** Disasi is comparable to Badiashile. While our opinions on his potential fluctuate, he’s worth keeping.
– **Keep Levi Colwill:** Colwill should stay. Despite Bayern Munich’s interest, selling him would be a mistake after the effort to re-sign him last summer.
– **Sell Trevoh Chalobah:** With many center-backs already on the team and Tosin Adarabioyo potentially joining, Chalobah should be sold. He’s talented and will do well elsewhere.
– **Loan Alfie Gilchrist:** Gilchrist played a bit last season but needs consistent playtime. A Championship loan, possibly to Leeds United, would benefit everyone involved.
– **Keep Wesley Fofana:** Fofana, recovering from another injury, has great potential and should remain in the starting lineup.
**Left-Backs:**
– **Sell Ben Chilwell:** Though understandable, selling Chilwell might not be straightforward. Chelsea’s acquisition of new left-backs and the sale of Ian Maatsen might limit improvement in Chilwell’s position.
– **Keep Marc Cucurella:** Cucurella, who cost a significant portion of Chelsea’s £100 million left-back spend, had a strong 2023-24 season under Mauricio Pochettino and deserves to stay.
