The January transfer window is looming, and a few members of the Chelsea squad could find themselves departing Stamford Bridge as Enzo Maresca looks to trim the squad of fringe players.
The three most likely players to depart west London in the coming weeks are Ben Chilwell, Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka – with the trio all struggling for game time under Maresca this season.
Chelsea have been encouraging teams to approach Chilwell ahead of the looming winter window, and reliable journalist Simon Phillips reported a while ago that the left-back is eager to leave Cobham in pursuit of more match action.
The £200,000-per-week defender has played just 45 minutes in all competitions this season – which came against EFL minnows Barrow in the Carabao Cup – and Maresca has even admitted that Chelsea wanted to sell Chilwell in the summer.
Meanwhile, Chukwuemeka has failed to make a single Premier League appearance or matchday squad this term, leading to reports that Chelsea are prepared to offload the 20-year-old in January – even if Maresca is actually a “big admirer” of his (Ben Jacobs).
Some media sources believe Casadei is on the verge of joining AC Milan on loan, but this is yet to gain traction, so murmurs of an imminent San Siro switch could be premature.
In any case, reliable news outlets like the BBC have shared that Monza are also in talks to sign Casadei, with Juventus also linked, so there is every reason to believe the former Inter Milan youngster could secure a move back to his homeland pretty soon.
This is echoed by esteemed transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, who says Chilwell, Chukwuemeka and Casadei are all indeed planning departures next month.
Other players could reportedly find themselves on the chopping block amid their fight for first-team chances, like summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and defender Axel Disasi.
Called a “leader” in the squad, Disasi’s presence in that regard hasn’t allowed him to become a mainstay of Maresca’s elevens in the top flight.
The Frenchman has started all of their Conference League matches, even captaining the team on a regular basis in Europe, but he’s firmly a part of their B team as things stand – despite the odd league appearance.
Disasi scored Chelsea’s opening goal in a 5-1 win at Southampton, but failed to even make the matchday squad in their previous five matches. The 26-year-old was also an unused substitute against Tottenham and Brentford, with RMC Sport now providing an update on his future.
The French news outlet claims Disasi could be “packing his bags” and leaving Chelsea in January, and his potential availability has sparked interest from Juventus and an unnamed big club from Germany.
Thiago Motta’s side are in desperate need of a new centre-back, following Gleison Bremer’s serious knee injury, with Juve making an approach to sign Disasi as we fast move towards the next transfer window. Chelsea’s stance remains unclear, but interest in the former Monaco defender is rising.
