HERE WE GO: Chelsea will reduce their wage bill by £23 million due to two upcoming transfers.
Chelsea’s summer transfer window could receive a significant boost with the impending departures of Romelu Lukaku and Malang Sarr.
The club stands to save just over £23 million from their wage bill if they successfully offload these two players. Reports indicate that Lukaku is nearing a move to Napoli, while French side Lens is set to sign Sarr.
Lukaku, 31, has not played for Chelsea since May 2022, and although new manager Enzo Maresca was considering giving him another chance, a return to Serie A seems more likely. The Belgian striker is understood to have agreed to personal terms with Napoli for a three-year deal worth £5 million per season. This is a substantial reduction from his previous £16.9 million annual salary at Chelsea, although much of his second stint at the club has been spent on loan.
However, negotiations over the transfer fee remain. Chelsea has a £38 million release clause in Lukaku’s contract but is reportedly willing to accept £29.5 million. Napoli has hesitated even at this reduced price. Lukaku may be interested in reuniting with his former manager Antonio Conte, with whom he won Serie A while on loan at Inter Milan in 2021. The deal could progress faster if Napoli sells Victor Osimhen, a transfer that would provide funds for Lukaku’s acquisition. However, negotiations are ongoing.
Sarr’s situation is more straightforward. The former France U21 player is set to leave Chelsea after reportedly agreeing to terminate his contract a year early to join Lens. Chelsea is keen to remove his £120,000-per-week salary from their wage bill, which costs them £6.2 million annually.
Sarr, who joined Chelsea from Nice in the summer of 2020 as a highly rated prospect, has been a disappointing investment. Despite earning more than players like Thiago Silva, Cole Palmer, and Conor Gallagher last season, Sarr spent the entire year training with Chelsea’s U21s. He made just 21 appearances for the club in four years, with more game time during loan spells at Porto (19 appearances) and Monaco (17 appearances). He is now set to undergo a medical with Lens before joining them on a free transfer.
While Chelsea has made several new signings this summer, they have yet to secure any major star players. The imminent exits of Lukaku and Sarr could pave the way for high-profile additions, as the club shifts its focus from departures to new acquisitions.