N'Golo Kante, Mason Mount, and why Chelsea's much-needed clear-out isn't going as planned
Chelsea were meant to be chopping away at deadwood this summer, but things haven't gone as planned.
The list of individuals projected to leave Chelsea this summer is long, but as the summer transfer market begins, there has been little to no evidence that any of their undesired players will be leaving. Meanwhile, players who were generally expected to be part of the club's long-term plans under incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino now appear to be on the verge of leaving.
In recent weeks, speculation has been widespread over the futures of N'Golo Kante, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, and Mateo Kovacic, all of whom can be core components of the Chelsea squad when fully healthy and available, and who all demand the respect and admiration of the Chelsea crowd.
But how did this happen, and what is next for Chelsea? The following is GOAL's assessment of the situation...
The departure of key players
Chelsea's clear-out appears to be much more thorough than many expected, with the club potentially facing a total reset under Pochettino. At this point, it is unclear whether these judgments are his or those of the hierarchy, but they are harsh.
Despite being key players at Stamford Bridge in recent years, Kante, Mount, and Kovacic all look set to leave, while Havertz's future is uncertain. Kante's head has been turned by a mega-money offer from Saudi Arabia, Kovacic is on the verge of joining Manchester City after agreeing terms with the Blues' Premier League rivals, Mount is being courted by Manchester United, and Havertz's future is uncertain. Real Madrid has been connected with kai, however their interest is thought to have faded.
The time has come to let go of Kante and Kovacic.
Kovacic was always expected to go in the summer because his contract is set to expire in a year, with the Blues aiming to cash in on individuals in that category while they can. Despite being a dedicated servant who has shown flashes of ability, Kovacic has frequently pleased to deceive and has been the epitome of the club's era of transition during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Kante's likely departure is even more surprising given his standing as perhaps the best defensive midfielder in the game, if not all time. However, his age and deteriorating injury record suggest that Chelsea might be wise to release the 32-year-old when his contract ends at the end of June. Despite earning about £300,000 per week, the Frenchman only made nine appearances in 2022-23.
Allowing Mount and Havertz to leave is more questionable, however Chelsea's failure to renew the former's contract sooner means they are in a very weak negotiating position, with the player willing to leave if his exorbitant wage demands are not satisfied. Meanwhile, despite performing in important moments and being mostly used out of position, Havertz has been a disappointment.
There's no word on the real deadwood.
Worryingly, there has been little speculation surrounding the squad's also-rans who were expected to be moved this summer, with the number of outgoing players potentially reaching double figures as Chelsea look to trim the wage bill and comply with UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations.
Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have all been linked with moves to Saudi Arabia, while Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek have been linked with AC Milan - but nothing appears to be moving forward as pre-season approaches.
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