Chelsea Players Who Could Leave in 2022
At a club as competitive as Chelsea, and with an owner as unforgiving of underachievement as Roman Abramovich, it perhaps comes as no surprise that the churn rate of players at Stamford Bridge is high. Factor into this the huge spending power that Abramovich always provides his managers with, and it becomes clear that if a certain player is not coming up with the goods, then it will only be a matter of time before they are farmed out on loan or hung out for the highest bidder to swoop up.
With The Blues stuttering towards the back end of 2021 there’s no doubt that Tuchel will look to strengthen and then cut down his squad, as he searches for the perfect balance that can deliver Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League success. Here are the players that could end up heading for the Stamford Bridge exit in 2022, either out of personal choice or because they were deemed surplus to requirements.
Chelsea are desperate to wrest the Premier League crown out of the grasp of Liverpool and Man City this season, but which players are not cutting the mustard?
Kai Havertz – Not One of Tuchel’s Favourites
This German international is a joy to watch when he is full flow, having the ability to make a game play out in slow motion in much the same way that players like Zinedine Zidane and Dimitar Berbatov once did. Unfortunately for Chelsea fans and betting punters who backed him at the season’s outset, he has been resembling the Bulgarian rather than the brilliant Frenchman, blowing hot and cold, especially in front of goal. This has led to a number of betting tipsters and footy pundits questioning his place in the Chelsea squad, with other players like Lukaku, Mount, and Pulisic all odds-on to start in front of the German if they are fit.
The rumour mill was really sent into a spin when Tuchel himself came out and criticised the player publicly, stating that he expected much more from such a highly rated star. No doubt the ears of chairman at clubs like PSG and Newcastle pricked up at the prospect of such a talent coming on the market, and Havertz may not have liked being so publicly shamed for his performances. Were he to leave it would be a blow because another rival club could still extract the best from this mercurial 22-year-old. The trigger happy Abramovich has been warned!
Stamford Bridge expects nothing less than multiple pieces of major silverware this season, but even if that happens there could be a good number of Blues stars leaving for pastures new
Antonio Rüdiger – Out of Contract in the Summer
Another German international who is almost guaranteed to be leaving Stamford Bridge either early in 2022 or during the summer is Antonio Rüdiger, who is out of contract and purportedly looking for a way out.
Tuchel does not appear to be standing in the way of centre back, with little noise of a new contract being offered. This seems a bit of a shame, seeing as the fiery player displayed some of his best form during the second half of 2021. Other defenders who have been central to Chelsea’s successes this season such as Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen could also leave Chelsea for free this summer when their respective contracts expire. Surely at least one more year of Thiago Silva should be considered by the powers that be, even if he will be 38 by the time next season begins.
Saúl Ñíguez – On Loan and Having a Mare
Much was expected Saúl when he was brought to Stamford Bridge on loan from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid, but so far he has only made a name for himself by virtue of constantly getting subbed off at half-time. Despite Tuchel claiming these moves were purely tactical, it would seem unlikely that the Spaniard will extend his time in West London beyond his contracted loan spell and will return to an Atletico side reeling from, most probably, having lost their La Liga crown to cross-city rivals Real.
