Chelsea are set to lose Six players after Losing Antionio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen due to new contracts issue

Chelsea are set to lose five players this summer as Roman Abramovich sanctions end hopes of securing new contracts with Antionio Rudiger, Cesar Azplicueta and Andreas Christensen all available on free transfers

Chelsea look set for a summer exodus as a handful of first team players appear destined for the exit.

Last week, the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government and his assets frozen.

Chelsea have been granted special permission to continue operating, but the club will be unable to sell tickets to matches, sell club merchandise and sign players when the transfer window opens.

They’ll also be unable to negotiate new contracts with existing players and staff members, something that could prove particularly troublesome in the coming months, for both the men’s and women’s team at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have four senior players who are set to be out of contract at the end of the season.

Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azplicueta, Andreas Christensen and Charly Musonda are the senior players who are entering the final months of their deals, with the club in the process of handling their respective situations.

talkSPORT host Simon Jordan was asked about the contract situation of the players and expressed his belief that it was ‘the least of Chelsea’s worries’.

He told White and Jordan: “There was clearly doubt in their minds anyway as they hadn’t signed and they’re in the last three months of their existing contracts.

“With that in mind, they might have found themselves in a situation where a new ownership model comes in, irrespective of the current sanctions, Roman Abramovich didn’t want these players.

“I think that this is the least of Chelsea fans and the Chelsea situation’s concerns.

Before sanctions were announced and the club put up for sale, manager Thomas Tuchel had expressed hope that Christensen would stay.

“There is no need to go now because he is right at the edge to finally take the next one, two, three steps at Chelsea,” he said. “I don’t think he is done here.”

But with Chelsea powerless to negotiate new contracts with any of their players, it seems all-but confirmed the quartet will be moving on at the end of the season.

Saul Niguez’s future also looks to have been decided with Chelsea now unable to activate the purchase option in his loan deal from Atletico Madrid which expires this summer.

“The situation will find itself in a resolution in short order unless Roman Abramovich decides that the things he said aren’t the things that he’s going to do.