Chelsea followed up their Champions League-winning campaign by finishing third in the EPL and crashing out in the quarterfinals of the UCL. Clearly, the squad that won the 2021 Champions League needs revamping.
As the club was taken over by a new ownership group, it was clear that there will be changes. Chelsea are linked with new players on a daily basis, but they are also looking to clear out their squad. As they look for players to leave the club, Chelsea have to be mindful of certain players that simply cannot leave.
On that note, here are three players Chelsea can't afford to lose in the summer transfer window.
Players Chelsea cannot afford to lose
3. Connor Gallagher
This is an odd addition here. Connor Gallagher, to this day, has no caps for Chelsea in the EPL. He played four games for the Chelsea U23 squad in the 2018-19 season. He has spent a ton of time on loan. He played four seasons on loan at Charlton Athletic, Swansea, West Bromwich Albion, and Crystal Palace.
It was at Palace exactly where Gallagher has played his best football by far. In 34 games for the smaller London side, Gallagher scored eight goals and dished out three assists. Overall, apart from the numbers, Gallagher has just looked great. Due to that and the hype around him, Chelsea have considered selling him in the summer.
They really should not.
As a 22-year-old midfielder, Gallagher would be a welcome addition to a Chelsea midfield that is getting on in age slowly. Also, that midfield had a very poor year, especially after the amazing year they had in the 2020-21 season. Thus, adding one of the best midfielders of the prior season in the Premier League, one who earned that playing for a mid-table side, would be a great way to refresh the midfield.
Additionally, there are the financial points. Selling Gallagher for a good deal of money based on his last season in the EPL would be financially safe, but the finances should not be an issue for Chelsea. Gallagher needs to be in the squad when next season comes up.
All the arguments about selling Romelu Lukaku have a ton of merit. Obviously, when a player playing for Chelsea all but openly says he wants to go back to the club he arrived from, that is not okay.
Additionally, paying over €115 million for a striker who gives you eight league goals in a season not great. Lukaku could also be sold for a fair price, giving Chelsea some resources to replace him in the summer transfer window. They could bring in a new striker or even give Timo Werner one more shot after he opened up the scoring toward the end of the season.
All of that is true, but Lukaku should be given another chance, for multiple reasons.
Firstly, he is still a world-class striker in many regards and the modern striker is so much more than just a goalscorer.
Secondly, there is no way that Chelsea can recoup a fraction of what they paid for him. It would be a giant loss for the club and not a good way for the new ownership to start operations.
Finally, Lukaku, just like any striker who lost a bit of confidence, just needs trust from the coaching staff and support from the fan base. It will be tough, but if Chelsea give the Belgian trust, he will be great next season.
1. Reece James
After Chelsea was eliminated from the Champions League by Real Madrid, many rumors started circulating around Reece James. James had a great season for the Blues and has become a true revelation, offensively speaking. He was always a solid option, but with five goals and nine assists in the EPL, he showed a side to his play that really benefits how Thomas Tuchel wants to play.
However, some issues regarding his contract and a true need for a right-back for Real Madrid and some other teams around the league caused some rumors to come up about Chelsea potentially selling the 22-year-old in the summer.
Now that Chelsea sorted themselves out in terms of ownership, though, there should be no discussions about the financial implications of selling James. Obviously, the sale of James could bring a ton of money to the London club, but they do not need it.
In terms of implications on the field, there would be huge issues for Chelsea if they were to sell James. They do not have a good backup right-back, especially if the players who are reported to leave end up really leaving.
Thus, unless they can find a capable starting-caliber right-back for a fair price, Chelsea should not consider selling James. Obviously, in this market, that is impossible, so Chelsea should really keep James and build around him for the future, knowing that the right side is in good hands.
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