Chelsea transfer news, rumors, updates: N’Golo Kante departs; Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly likely next

With a new head coach in the dugout, a host of players potentially coming and going and an awful lot of improvement required after last season, a pivotal summer lies ahead for Chelsea. Under the leadership of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard, the Blues limped to 12th position in the Premier League and a quarterfinal Champions League exit. At least that means the only way is up for Mauricio Pochettino, the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain head coach who has been handed the reins at Stamford Bridge.

This could be as turbulent a few weeks among the playing staff as last season was for their coaching equivalents with moves in the offing for the likes of N’Golo Kante, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount. Let’s recap some of the biggest rumors and updates from our CBS Sports insiders and experts:

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Saudi Arabian exodus

June, 21: Perhaps even more important than adding to the squad this summer is trimming back a group that was so swollen last season that the Cobham training ground dressing rooms were not big enough to accommodate every first team player. In their attempts to do so Chelsea faced the same challenge that all of the Premier League’s wealthiest teams do, the sheer paucity of clubs who can match the wages they pay their fringe players.

That was until help came from Saudi Arabia, with at least four top earners expected to depart for the Pro League this summer. Chelsea might have liked to keep N’Golo Kante but they could not match the €50 million a year Al Ittihad have offered. The move was made official on Tuesday by both clubs. Also, Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy will all move to Saudi Arabia as revealed by CBS insider Fabrizio Romano. The players will move to respectively to Al Nassr, Al Hilal and Al Ahli. Ziyech will join Al-Nassr for around €10 million, while Koulibaly will join Al-Hilal for around €20 million. 

CBS Sports revealed on June 19 that talks were taking place in London between Al Nassr and Chelsea to finalise a fee for Ziyech, who has agreed personal terms with Cristiano Ronaldo’s club. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could also make the move to Saudi, while Romelu Lukaku has reportedly refused the possibility to move to Saudi Arabia as of now. In total that could scrub nearly £1 million a week off the Chelsea wage bill, handing breathing room and further funds to invest in new signings. — Franceso Porzio and James Benge

Nkunku arrives

June 20: The first new signing of the Pochettino era has been made… and it is one that Chelsea had lined up all the way back when Tuchel was in charge. Christopher Nkunku’s arrival was a formality soon after the summer transfer window closed in 2022, with the club hierarchy committing to a fee greater than his £60 million release clause to get their man out of RB Leipzig before his many other suitors could get a deal together.

“I am incredibly happy to be joining Chelsea,” said Nkunku, who had been at PSG before joining RB Leipzig. “A big effort was made to bring me to the club and I am looking forward to meeting my new coach and teammates and showing the Chelsea supporters what I can do on the pitch. Having played in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga, I now want to play in the Premier League, one of the strongest leagues in the world. I am very excited for this challenge and will be proud to wear the Chelsea shirt.”

Twenty3

Nkunku should help with the greatest issue facing a Chelsea side who scored 38 goals in 38 Premier League games last season, in his last two Bundesliga campaigns he scored 36 whilst adding a further 21 assists. He is not, however, the center forward that the Blues need — Nicolas Jackson of Villarreal could be — but the sort of inside left attacker who plays best with someone else leading the line that Pochettino already has a lot of. How he can be fit alongside Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk (assuming Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang depart) will be an early challenge for the Argentine to puzzle out.

Premier League exits

June 20: The state of Chelsea’s finances has caught the eye of their Premier League rivals, who are determined to take advantage by the end of the month, when any sales would appear on the books for a 12 month period where Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and the rest of the ownership group sanctioned over half a billion dollars in spending. Manchester City are pushing to snare Mateo Kovacic, a deal first revealed by CBS Sports insider Fabrizio Romano, while Manchester United have seen a £40 million offer for Mason Mount rejected. The latter is not expected to renew a contract that expires at the end of the 2023-24 season. Chelsea’s insistence that they receive £70 million for their academy graduate could yet be tested.

The Blues have put a similar price tag on Kai Havertz, whose versatility is particularly admired by Arteta. The German is not ready to extend a contract that runs until 2025 and Arsenal are hoping to get Havertz at a significant discount, not least because Chelsea have struggled to find a role for the talented but esoteric former Bayer Leverkusen playmaker.

Midfield reinforcements wanted

June 20: It is not all about sales. The potential departures of Kante, Kovacic and Mount, six months after Jorginho left, mean that Pochettino will need new bodies in midfield. Chelsea had wanted Manuel Ugarte but were beaten to his services by PSG and are now targeting Moises Caicedo. The London Evening Standard reports that the Blues have had a £60 million offer rejected with Brighton holding out for £100 million. In addition Chelsea are one of several clubs keen on Southampton’s Romeo Lavia, also wanted by Arsenal,