Chelsea to announce retained and release lists as N’Golo Kante contract decision and exits loom

Chelsea’s season is not far away from ending but things at Stamford Bridge and Cobham will only get busier behind the scenes ahead of pre-season

Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Chelsea FC
Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Chelsea FC

In many ways, Chelsea’s season has long been over with little to play for after being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid. The Blues have two more matches until it is officially the case however as they face two more members of the top four in Manchester United and Newcastle.

Much of the attention at the club will be already on next season. Mauricio Pochettino is set to be appointed at Stamford Bridge and following this season’s incoming transfers, the squad is set to be trimmed down to a more manageable size.

That process is not far away from the beginning. Joao Felix and Denis Zakaria reach their last possibilities for playing time before the end of their respective loans and final decisions on a number of out-of-contract stars await.

Last term, it was on June 10th that Chelsea announced their released and retained lists and confirmed the departures of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Danny Drinkwater, Charly Musonda and Jake Clarke-Salter. If that date is repeated, it is less than two weeks following the end of the season.

N’Golo Kante is the most high-profile Chelsea star whose contract is currently set to expire. As far back as February it seemed the Frenchman was set to sign but there has been no announcement of an agreement forthcoming.

Nathan Baxter, Sam McClelland and Dujon Sterling have been out on loan and are also set to see their contracts expire. Hull City had an option to sign Baxter before he suffered a season-ending injury and was pictured back out on Cobham’s training pitches last week, while McClelland saw a clause activated to extend his stay by 12 months a year ago.

Dujon Sterling is expected to depart the club for a move to Rangers having spent the year with Hull. The defender spent some time with Chelsea’s first team but did not travel to the USA on pre-season tour and suffered an injury that disrupted his summer before moving to the Potteries.

There will be no shortage of decisions made with regard to development squad prospects too. Tudor Mendel-Idowu and Malik Mothersille are expected to leave the club at the end of their deals as things stand while Derrick Abu has trialled with Crystal Palace. Ethan Wady, who made the bench against Man City, Josh Brooking, Joe Haigh, Bryan Fiabema and Jayden Wareham will also currently see their deals expire.