Transfer Rumour Unconfirmed · Early speculationBBC SportUnverified source· 7 Aug 2026
Chelsea's 41-man squad: Who leaves before deadline?
With 25 days left, Chelsea must offload 16 players to trim their bloated squad.
Chelsea
team
Squad size
41 senior players
Deadline
25 days until transfer window closes
Target
25 senior players
Players to offload
16
What happened. Chelsea are under pressure to reduce their 41-man senior squad before the transfer window closes, with new boss Xabi Alonso keen to cut numbers.
- No European football this season, so squad harmony is a concern.
- Fifa has outlawed the 'bomb squad' practice, increasing urgency.
- Uefa settlement agreement still binds Chelsea for three more seasons.
Chelsea must move 16 players by September to reach a manageable squad size.
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