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Chelsea enjoyed an incredible end to their 2020-21 season by winning the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel's management.
Plans have already begun for next season, with stars like Erling Braut Haaland, James Maddison and Raphael Varane linked with the club. Tuchel has done a fine job since taking over and will surely be backed in the transfer market.
However, this could also mean that certain players from the squad are likely to leave. Centre-back Fikayo Tomori has already joined AC Milan on a permanent deal, with more players set to depart the club.
5 Players who would benefit by leaving Chelsea ahead of the 2021-22 season
#5 Kurt Zouma
After a serious knee injury in 2016 and subsequent loans to Stoke City and Everton, it looked like Kurt Zouma's Chelsea career had come to an end.
However, the France international clawed his way back into first-team contention at Chelsea after some good performances, and was clearly rated highly by former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard. The arrival of Thomas Tuchel, though, has seen the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen being preferred at the centre-back position ahead of Zouma.
The 26-year old made 22 starts in the Premier League this season and managed to score five goals. He was an unused substitute in the Champions League final against Manchester City and with Chelsea reportedly in the market for a centre-back, Zouma's game-time could be reduced further next season.
Also Read: Euro 2020: 5 players who could impress in unfamiliar positions
#4 Hakim Ziyech
Hakim Ziyech had been one of the best players in the Eredivisie for some time when Chelsea decided to spend £36 million to acquire him from Ajax last summer.
An extremely creative player renowned for his technical skills, Ziyech's signing was well-received. The 28-year old was seen as an upgrade on veteran forwards like Willian and Pedro, with both attackers leaving the club on free transfers in 2020. Despite high expectations, Ziyech struggled during his first season with Chelsea.
The Morocco international made just 15 starts in the league for the club, scoring two goals and providing three assists. Chelsea have an incredible assortment of attackers, with Ziyech often used to make an impact off the bench. The former Twente man has been linked with Napoli and AC Milan after a frustrating season in England.
#3 Emerson Palmieri
Currently with the Italy squad for the UEFA Euro 2020, Emerson Palmieri has once again been reduced to a role on the bench for his national team after he barely featured for Chelsea this season.
Emerson joined Chelsea from Roma in January 2018 for a fee of £18 million, but has not been a consistent starter for the Blues since his arrival. The left-back has made just 70 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, and was restricted to only two appearances in the Premier League this time around.
The 26-year old has been persistently linked with a return to Italy for some time now. Napoli, Inter Milan and Juventus have been suggested as possible destinations for the Italy international.
#2 Kepa Arrizabalaga
In 2018, Thibaut Courtois forced a transfer from Chelsea to Real Madrid, and the Blues were left scrambling for a starting goalkeeper.
Ultimately, they paid an eye-watering fee of £72 million to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao. The Spain international had done fairly well in Spain, and he enjoyed a strong start to his Chelsea career. However, things began to unravel very soon.
Poor performances and high-profile errors on a consistent basis saw a wave of intense criticism aimed at Kepa. Chelsea signed goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from Rennes last summer, and he has been the club's starting goalkeeper since then. Meanwhile, Kepa, the world's most expensive goalkeeper, is now second-choice at Chelsea. Lazio are said to be interested, but Chelsea look set to suffer a big loss financially as far as the 26-year old is concerned.
#1 Tammy Abraham
Thomas Tuchel's treatment of Tammy Abraham has been surprising to say the least.
The England international enjoyed a good 2019-20 season at Chelsea, making 47 appearances in all competitions and scoring 18 goals. Abraham was supposed to improve on those numbers this season, but has barely featured for Chelsea since the arrival of Tuchel.
The 23-year old made just 12 Premier League starts this season, scoring six goals and providing one assist. It looks likely that Abraham will depart the club this summer, with Manchester United, West Ham United, Aston Villa and Leicester City all linked with the striker.
Also Read: 5 possible destinations for Sergio Ramos
