Chelsea star has two games to change Enzo Maresca's mind as brutal transfer decision made

There was a point last summer when images of Chelsea's catalogue of players circulated widely online. Some versions listed more than 80 names on the books. They often included fringe academy prospects, loanees, and those who have signed but not yet played.

It was an easy stick to beat Chelsea with and fits the not entirely unfair narrative around Clearlake Capital-Todd Boehly's spending and squad building. Now under the sporting directorship of Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, a key summer approaches.

Only one can play, so why do Chelsea have so many? There was a reasonable answer, if not a satisfactory one, and a large part of it is expected to be solved this year.

A new position might be open to ridicule, though. Looking ahead to next season, Chelsea currently have 11 centre-backs who could be in contention for just two starting roles. Even with an on-the-ball back three being Maresca's preferred style, it is far too many.

Elite sides playing in Maresca's chosen formation will usually operate with four centre-backs and some youth cover outside of that. Chelsea have a lot of sorting to do in this area and along with the goalkeeping mess

The names on Chelsea's books, for clarity, will be (in no particular order): Trevoh Chalobah, Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Mamadou Sarr, Aaron Anselmino, and Ishe Samuels-Smith.

Three of those haven't played for Chelsea yet and two more are on loan. The first six are Maresca's current group. Anselmino and Samuels-Smith are somewhere in between.

We know that Chelsea are also looking to buy a new centre-back over the summer. Along with a centre forward, it is one of their priorities.

The first thing to do before adding to this bloated list is to decide what happens with those already there. To put it simply, Colwill may well be the only one (almost) certain to remain. Here, football.london goes through the Chelsea defenders and what the future holds for them this summer.

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Levi Colwill

Colwill is showing plenty of promise. Very few 22-year-old centre-backs start for clubs at the top level and Colwill already has over 70 Premier League games under his belt and more than 120 in senior football.

It is no surprise Chelsea had to reject bids from Brighton in 2023 after his loan on the south coast. Liverpool have also been credited with long-standing interest but Chelsea have no intentions to sell their academy graduate. The rest have at least some questions marks over.

Trevoh Chalobah

Chalobah is the obvious place to start because he has once again become a favourite at Chelsea even though the sporting directors were all too happy to throw him out last summer.

Chalobah has made that decision look silly. Whether or not his performances will make any difference to Chelsea's plans of cashing in on him are uncertain.

and it would take a remarkable turn of events for that to change even if he warrants a spot on merit alone. Under Clearlake-Boehly, Chelsea have spent over £170million on new centre-backs and none have done as much for the club in that time as Chalobah, who has been on the chopping block for most of that period.

The direction of travel suggests Chalobah will again be up for sale. As an academy graduate, he represents pure profit in the accounts if sold, something which holds a lot of attraction for the hierarchy.

Tosin Adarabioyo

Chalobah's effective summer replacement was Adarabioyo on a free. He joined from Fulham and has had an immediate impact on the squad, becoming known affectionately as 'Uncle.' Adarabioyo is only 27 but is the oldest player by almost three years to have over 2,000 minutes in all competitions.

He is a Conference League leader and a loud voice for his peers but also sits comfortably behind Chalobah in the Premier League pecking order. He is happy at Chelsea but if circumstances change and Chalobah was to stay, Chelsea could bank a nice profit on Adarabioyo should an offer come in. Never say never.

Benoit Badiashile

That is the same messaging out of Chelsea whenever Badiashile is brought up. The club insist they rate him very highly and that he is not being considered for a sale. The reality is, more than two years on from his move from Monaco, Badiashile has played less than 500 league minutes this season and started only three times.

After spending £35million on the Frenchman, it is surely not a scenario which can continue. Milan have been sniffing around Badiashile for a while and with Chelsea looking to promote Samuels-Smith (another left-sided and left-footed centre-back) next season, something may well have to give. It is notable that both Dean Huijsen and Marc Guehi, who are among the defensive targets, can play on the left as well.

Renato Veiga

As can Veiga. He was purchased on the cheap over the summer due to his versatility as a left-back, midfielder, and centre-back. Less than six months in and Veiga had decided he wanted to play mainly as a centre-back so as to enhance his international chances.

. Chelsea were willing to sell him shortly after buying and now have accelerated their plans for others coming in so Veiga faces a tough task to play regularly. Making a quick profit on a player trade here is an easy source of money if it can be done.

Axel Disasi

It will be harder to get into the green with Disasi. Like Badiashile, he was signed for £35million from Monaco and despite playing a big part last season, has been out of favour under Maresca. Chelsea were happy enough to see him go last summer and tried for a mid-season sale as well.

Chelsea will do well to make anything on him but it is clear that he is not in the plans.

Wesley Fofana

The same cannot be said for Wesley Fofana. Chelsea still see the 24-year-old as one of the best around when he is fit.

Fofana cost £70million from Leicester City and adds an whole other complexion to the team when he is available due to the speed, front-foot style, aerial ability, and dribbling from the back. He has shown signs of forming a strong partnership with Colwill, too.

The issue is that Chelsea cannot rely on Fofana to play even half their games in one competition when he is shielded from midweek football. It would take a lot of money to find the sweet-spot but Chelsea will have to plan for life without Fofana, whether they keep him or not. It is simply too risky to expect him to play.

Josh Acheampong

With uncertainty over Chalobah and Fofana, that seemingly opens up a spot on the right for Acheampong. Having just turned 19, Acheampong has time on his side but progress has been stunted this year after a contract dispute saw him miss half of the Conference League group stages, which would have provided valuable senior minutes.

He is a brilliant talent and someone who will believe they could match the Huijsen-style rise to prominence if given an opportunity. Chelsea's search for another young defender would only add another obstacle to his first-team minutes.

Although Acheampong will get game time over four competitions next season (no matter which tier of Europe Chelsea are in), he would benefit from consistent chances. A loan, therefore, may well be considered.

RC Strasbourg are a good bet for that but only if they end up in a different UEFA competition to Chelsea. There is nothing yet to suggest Acheampong will go but it cannot be ruled out.

Mamadou Sarr

When it comes to Strasbourg, Sarr is inextricably linked because he is already there. Chelsea agreed a deal to sign the 19-year-old in January and will asses him over the summer.

With so much competition for places already, it is hard to see him having any sort of role just yet. Like others at Chelsea, Sarr will be hoping that a loan move back to his current side is open over the summer.

Aaron Anselmino

There was talk of him going to Marseille or Strasbourg for experience in January after his loan with Boca Juniors was cancelled early. Anselmino was signed for over £14million last summer without much of a senior portfolio behind him, and was due to spend the season back in Argentina before Chelsea cut it short.

Like Sarr, he is not yet ready to play for Chelsea and will surely need a loan somewhere else. Strasbourg, again, makes sense.

Ishe Samuels-Smith

Would have played Conference League football this season if he was eligible for the B-list. Instead, he has honed his craft and excelled for the Under-21s. Turns 19 this summer and football.london understandsCould play backup to Colwill and whoever else is the left-sided centre-back. Seen as one of the best young defenders in the country.

Others

There isn't much to add here but Alfie Gilchrist will return from his loan at Sheffield United. That has been a frustrating one for him since January, when he suffered an injury and was effectively replaced by other loanees in the squad. He has still shown enough to get a high-end Championship move permanently but it's unlikely to force him into the Chelsea scene.

Bashir Humphreys has earned promotion to the Premier League with Burnley after spending the year on loan. His deal is expected to turn permanent with a buy option included in the deal from last summer.

New signing

Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal will all have been aware of this possibility.

Whilst it will hurt to potentially miss out on Huijsen, Chelsea do have alternatives. Guehi has already been mentioned whilst Ousmane Diomande has been a player of interest for the past two summers. Ajax's Jorrel Hato has also been linked.

Other names are sure to emerge over the summer as well. Perhaps not getting Huijsen (which is still far from a done deal) would also lead to a change in stance over Chalobah or an increased role for Acheampong. That may be clutching at straws for the Cobham graduates, but it is one that would save Chelsea money to spend elsewhere.

Very little stops Chelsea from doing that, though, and this summer of all summers might see more defensive flux and change than ever.