Chelsea's new EIGHT-MAN bomb squad revealed, including Club World Cup hero

Suraj Radia
Suraj Radia
  • 16 Jul 2025 18:00 BST
  • 4 min read
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
© IMAGO

Chelsea have outlined their latest ‘bomb squad’ containing eight players who have been told they have no future at the club under Enzo Maresca and will be training away from the first team until they find a new team.

Article continues under the video

The Blues operated a similar technique last year and eventually managed to move on a large number of players such as Romelu Lukaku and Angelo, although many of their unwanted stars left on loan and will face the same treatment this summer.

The likes of Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and Armando Broja are all in familiar territory after unsuccessful loan stints last season, along with Ben Chilwell, according to TEAMtalk.

The quartet will be joined by four additional players including Joao Felix, who has already been cast into the cold less than a year after making his €52 million transfer to Stamford Bridge, although the Portuguese forward is in talks to return to boyhood club Benfica.

Compared
Player image Trevoh Chalobah
Trevoh Chalobah

D (CR)

Chelsea logo

Chelsea

Trevoh Chalobah
Trevoh Chalobah

D (CR)

Chelsea

Chelsea

VS

Player image João Félix
João Félix

F (L), M (C)

Chelsea logo

Chelsea

João Félix
João Félix

F (L), M (C)

Chelsea

Chelsea

€27.9M

ETV

€25.4M

€25.1M - €30.7M ETV Range €22.9M - €28M
26 years old (05 Jul, 1999) Age 25 years old (10 Nov, 1999)
England England
Nationality
Portugal Portugal

Trevoh Chalobah is also in the bomb squad despite starring for Maresca at the Club World Cup and being an integral piece of Chelsea’s squad after being recalled from a loan at Crystal Palace in January.

Christopher Nkunku and Lesley Ugochukwu make up the eight-man squad, although the latter is more likely to depart on loan rather than be forced into a permanent sale.

Bomb squad facing familiar fate as Chelsea look to cash in

Chelsea are turning their attention to outgoings after spending more than €240m on signings this summer, with the ‘bomb squad’ likely to be pushed out with urgency.

Like last year, interest has been minimal in Sterling, Disasi and Chilwell due to their wages but Broja has been pursued by Bundesliga sides, with RB Leipzig potentially open to signing the striker as a replacement for Benjamin Sesko.

Chalobah was also in last year’s bomb squad, leading to his loan to Palace, but, despite impressive performances upon his return, Chelsea are still keen to sell the defender due to his ability to command ‘pure profit’ for PSR as an academy graduate.

Christopher Nkunku is among those Chelsea players set to be sold this summer.
© IMAGO - Christopher Nkunku is among those Chelsea players set to be sold this summer.

Nkunku could also depart, with Bayern Munich thought to be interested, but the 27-year-old is not believed to be a priority target and may not leave Chelsea until later in the summer if their asking price drops.

Chelsea are also looking to loan out youngsters like Mike Penders and Marc Guiu, while the futures of other forgotten stars like David Datro Fofana, Renato Veiga and Carney Chukwuemeka are still unclear, with none of them being part of the first team currently.

Football transfer news headlines today

DONE DEALS: Every official completed transfer around Europe today

Fabrizio Romano confirms OFFICIAL Arsenal signing

Chelsea star CONFIRMS transfer plan amid summer exit rumours

CONFIRMED: Man Utd eye Nicolas Jackson transfer

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

Google Play

App Store

Never miss the next big transfer!

Get the latest transfer insights and analyses directly in your mailbox.