Chelsea scramble to sell ten-man ‘bomb squad’ before transfer deadline

CHELSEA are willing to send Raheem Sterling on loan again - as they try to shift up to TEN players before the transfer window closes.

Both the Blues and Sterling would prefer to find a permanent deal.

But they equally want to avoid the kind of last-minute scramble that sent the England international to Arsenal last season.

Chelsea are seeking to offload Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, David Datro Fofana and Ben Chilwell in the next fortnight.

Young winger Tyrique George could also be on the way out, while defender Aaron Anselmino is surplus to the current requirements of boss Enzo Maresca.

Sterling has two years left on a contract worth more than £300,000 per week.

Chelsea ended up paying a significant proportion of those wages last season as part of an 11th-hour deal with the Gunners on transfer deadline day.

Sterling would prefer to stay in England and preferably in the London area. Son Thiago, eight, signing for Arsenal’s academy earlier this summer.

Fulham have shown interest but it is yet to turn into a concrete offer, and oversea clubs including Napoli have also been linked to the winger..

Chelsea still want to bring more new players IN to the club, despite already spending more than £240m this summer.

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They have recouped £200m in sales by moving on players like Noni Madueke, who joined Arsenal for £52m.

But the Blues will need to sell in order to feel comfortable about making deals for Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons.

So far Chelsea have struggled to find clubs willing to match their valuations for Jackson, Nkunku, Veiga, Chuwuemeka and Disasi.

And although the Blues would prefer to sell them all if possible, they are now open to loan deals with obligations or options to buy for at least some of them.

Napoli could now join Newcastle, Aston Villa, Juventus and AC Milan among the potential suitors for Jackson, after former Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku suffered an injury.

But the Blues are struggling to create a competitive market for their other unwanted stars.