Stones in, Adarabioyo or Disasi out? Your ideas for Chelsea squad tweakspublished at 17:28 BST
17:28 BST
Image source, Getty Images
We set you a challenge earlier on Thursday - if you were restricted to only one more player in and one more player out this summer, what would you do?
Here are some of your ideas:
Rob: Bring John Stones in on a free, and any fee for Axel Disasi would be welcome.
Aaron: I would sell Robert Sanchez then buy Alessandro Bastoni. Chelsea already have Mike Penders and they need defensive reinforcements, so getting a world-class centre-back would help us win the FA Cup, and finish third in the Premier League.
Gordon: I would have brought in Robert Lewandowski for his experience and let David Fofana go due to his lack of prowess in a forward position.
Morris: One out? I would get rid of a minimum of eight senior squad players! We also need to buy a top goalkeeper and a top striker alongside Estevao Willian, Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer. I would put the following players up for sale: Liam Delap, Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, Benoit Badiashile, Jamie Gittens, Mykhailo Mudryk, Pedro Neto, Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson.
Harley: Maxence Lacroix in for roughly £60m, then Badiashile out for £15m.
Neil: Stones in and Badiashile out. I would also keep Trevoh Chalobah and sell Wesley Fofana.
But how do Chelsea have space for Rogers? And is the club risking a potentially overcrowded dressing room next season?
Here are two of the key questions answered...
Q:Surely failing to qualify for Europe means Chelsea have to reduce their squad even more?
A: It is worth analysing the teams that achieved success without European football in recent seasons.
Starting with surprise title winners Leicester City in 2015-16, only 14 players made more than 15 appearances in all competitions under Claudio Ranieri. For much of the campaign, Leicester relied on a settled starting XI in the Premier League, with only a handful of squad players making significant contributions.
The following season, Chelsea won the Premier League under Antonio Conte without the burden of European football. Just 13 players recorded more than 1,500 minutes across all competitions. Similarly, Newcastle had only 14 players surpass the 1,500-minute mark when they qualified for the Champions League in 2024-25.
More recently, Manchester United finished third last season without European commitments. They had 13 players record more than 1,500 minutes in all competitions, although they were knocked out of both domestic cup competitions at an early stage.
So the figures suggest that carrying significantly more than 20 senior players may be unnecessary for clubs not competing in Europe.
Q: Is Chelsea's dressing room overcrowded?
A: Not currently. In fact, several academy players are involved in Xabi Alonso's training sessions to boost the numbers.
That has been helped by the fact that goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina is currently on trial at sister club Strasbourg, while Mykhailo Mudryk remains under a provisional suspension as he awaits a ruling from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in his doping case.
Young defender Caleb Wiley is injured, while Alejandro Garnacho and Axel Disasi have not been present at the training ground. Marc Guiu, who is expected to be available for either a loan or a permanent transfer, has not been pictured with the squad either.
Chelsea have generally reduced the size of their squad to around 25 players before the season begins, with the exception of the chaotic first campaign under the current ownership where the players famously couldn't fit in the training ground dressing room after the January window.
However, that process makes Chelsea one of the busiest clubs in Europe every summer, in terms of arrivals and departures, which normally takes the entire window to complete.
The use of so-called "bomb squads", a practice employed by a number of clubs including Chelsea in recent years, has now effectively been outlawed by Fifa following an agreement with Fifpro.
If clubs fail to comply with the regulations, players could be given greater scope to challenge their situations and potentially seek exits from their contracts. As a result, clubs will need to tread carefully.
A transfer challenge - if it was one more in, one more out, what would you do?published at 11:34 BST
11:34 BST
It's all go on the transfer front at Chelsea - with multiple players linked with being signed, sold or loaned out.
So, we're setting you a challenge as a bit of fun.
Trying your hardest not to pick someone the club has already been linked with this summer - if you could only bring one more player in and move one more player on, who would you pick?
Chelsea sign teenage midfielder Bettoni from Wiganpublished at 11:19 BST
11:19 BST
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea have signed 18-year-old midfielder Harrison Bettoni from Wigan Athletic.
Bettoni joins on a four year contract, with the League One club due training compensation.
It is expected that Bettoni, whose contract at Wigan expired in June, will spend a season in Chelsea's academy teams and on the fringes of Xabi Alonso's first-team squad.
The Stockport-born forward made 27 appearances for Wigan at senior level in a breakthrough 2025-26 campaign, scoring four goals, including his side's goal of the season for his debut goal against AFC Wimbledon.
He also featured against Arsenal in an FA Cup fourth-round tie.
Bettoni has been at Wigan since under-13s level having joined from Bury in 2019.
Garnacho's Chelsea move did not go to planpublished at 10:48 BST
10:48 BST
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Alejandro Garnacho's only season at Chelsea did not go to plan, a fact perhaps best illustrated by his solitary Premier League goal.
In his defence, he started only nine matches following Liam Rosenior's appointment - a 29-game period that also included Calum McFarlane's second spell as interim manager at the end of the campaign.
In total, Garnacho scored a more respectable eight goals and provided four assists in 43 appearances last season.
However, aside from two goals against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup, his other strikes came against lesser opposition, including Qarabag, Wrexham, Port Vale and Cardiff City.
It became apparent that Garnacho was beginning to lose the support of some supporters because of a perceived lack of work-rate.
There were also occasions when he was criticised for failing to track his runner, such as during the Blues' home defeat by West Ham, when he was substituted at half-time after being involved in the build-up to two opposition goals.
Sources have told BBC Sport that Garnacho remained professional and worked hard behind the scenes, which bodes well for his future.
In a late-season interview with Premier League Productions, the former Manchester United winger admitted he had done some "bad things" at Old Trafford because he was not playing enough.
Others familiar with Chelsea's dressing room dynamics said Garnacho struggled to integrate fully into the group and often cut a distant figure.
However, there is no significant controversy surrounding his departure from Stamford Bridge. The Blues simply viewed him as a player they were willing to move on as part of their efforts to improve the squad.
So much so that Chelsea's first-team squad in the 2026-27 season could contain twice as many players who have graduated from City's academy as have come through their own system.
Fellow City academy graduate Cole Palmer was also on target in City's 3-2 victory at St George's Park, while Liam Delap led the line.
In addition, Xabi Alonso's squad features Romeo Lavia, Jamie Gittens and Tosin Adarabioyo - all of whom also came through City's youth system.
Together with Rogers, Palmer and Delap, the six players account for almost £300m in transfer fees paid by Chelsea since 2023.
By contrast, Alonso is likely to only have three permanent senior squad players that came through Chelsea's Cobham academy: Levi Colwill, Reece James and Josh Acheampong.
Trevoh Chalobah also remains a Chelsea player, but he is in advanced talks over a move to Serie A side Como.
There are several reasons for Chelsea's interest in players developed from Manchester City, but one is the success of Palmer. Having moved between the clubs in 2023 for £40m plus £2.5m in add-ons, he has become one of the Premier League's standout performers.
One former insider told BBC Sport that anyone who comes from City "knows what good looks like".
Another factor is Joe Shields, who worked in City's academy recruitment department and is now involved in both youth and senior recruitment at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea also employ a number of former City staff members, including first-team coach Calum McFarlane and recently promoted academy director Glenn van der Kraan.
There was also a brief spell for former City executive Tom Glick as Chelsea's president of business, while former Blues head coach Enzo Maresca and several members of his coaching staff previously worked at the Etihad.
Chelsea also held an interest in former City academy player Michael Olise before his move to Bayern Munich and previously explored a deal for defender Nico O'Reilly.
Roma have asked about the availability of centre-back Axel Disasi - and Chelsea have set an asking price of about £17m for the centre-back. (Footmercato - in French), external
Meanwhile, England Under-21 midfielder Alex Scott, 22, is keen on a move to Bournemouth after Bournemouth rejected a £64m bid. (Standard), external
After signing Rogers, Chelsea are not finished in the transfer market.
Before any further arrivals, and with Dastan Satpaev due to join from FC Kairat in August, Chelsea have 38 senior players on their books.
The solution is likely to be further sales. Sources indicate Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Guiu are among the players available for transfer, while Mamadou Sarr is expected to leave on loan elsewhere in the Premier League.
Most of the remaining squad could also be available at the right price, though a small group of players are considered untouchable. That includes Moises Caicedo, Estevao Willian, Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill, as well as some of the club's most highly rated young prospects, including Josh Acheampong.
Chelsea have also failed to qualify for European competition.
Analysis of successful seasons without Europe - including Leicester City's title-winning campaign in 2015-16, Chelsea's Premier League triumph under Antonio Conte a year later, and more recent Champions League qualification campaigns by Newcastle United in 2024-25 and Manchester United last season - shows only 13 or 14 players typically exceed 1,500 minutes across all competitions.
It underlines the scale of the task facing Chelsea, with Fifa having also moved to outlaw so-called "bomb squads" this summer.
More than a celebration - fan's take on what Rogers might offerpublished at 12:47 BST 22 July
12:47 BST 22 July
Nina Hristova Fan contributor
Image source, Getty Images
Not often in recent transfer windows have Chelsea fans said, "this is a great signing."
There have been exceptions, but the club's transfer strategy has largely been scattered and disappointing: spending lots of money on young, high-potential players who need time to develop before they're ready to make a real impact.
Morgan Rogers feels different. Yes, £117m is a huge fee, but that's the market now, and compared to some of the money the club have spent on raw 'potential', this is somewhat easier to justify because Rogers has already proven himself in the Premier League. The 23-year-old isn't just another signing for the future. He improves Chelsea's starting XI immediately without the familiar "he needs time" caveat.
Rogers can thrive as a No. 10, on the left, and even on the right, as we saw for England against Argentina at the World Cup when he produced a superb assist. His versatility across the front line is a major strength.
Of course, the price tag is steep, but it's attached to a player with far fewer question marks than so many recent signings, and the club isn't currently the most attractive destination for high-profile players having finished 10th in the league and missing out on European football.
Rogers has produced good goal contributions over the last two seasons for Aston Villa and played a key role in their Europa League triumph.
Under Xabi Alonso, there are plenty of exciting possibilities. Rogers and best mate Cole Palmer as attacking midfielders behind Joao Pedro in a back-three system is one. Or in a different shape, he could start on the left, with Estevao out on the right, while Palmer plays behind Pedro.
Chelsea have lacked output from wingers. They've had the pace, skill and crosses, but very few have taken shots from distance and showcased great ball-striking ability. Rogers brings that, along with proven Premier League quality and Alonso could unlock another level to his game. Oh, and he's got a pretty cool celebration too!
It took a league-record £300m in player sales last season for Chelsea to comply with the Premier League's financial rules, which are due to move from a Financial Fair Play-based system to a Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) model this summer.
Uefa, however, represents the biggest obstacle to Chelsea's continued spending after fining the club £26.7m for breaching its rules last summer, while Aston Villa were also fined and are under the same scrutiny, which led to Morgan Rogers' sale.
Chelsea were again found to have breached European football's governing body's regulations this summer, but the financial picture improved significantly, resulting in a fine of just £2.6m. Most of that amount will be waived if the club continues to improve its finances.
With five new signings expected this summer, Chelsea will want to sell or loan out at least a dozen players from the 37 senior options on their books, and for as much money as possible, to keep their accounts healthy.
They have already sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid, Andrey Santos to Manchester United, Tyrique George to Everton and Jimmy-Jay Morgan to West Bromwich Albion for a combined fee of more than £120m.
Generating transfer income has become increasingly important for Chelsea, who lag behind their traditional big-six rivals in commercial and matchday revenue, while also falling behind in broadcast income after missing out on Champions League football in three of the past four seasons.
Stuart: Maybe not the obvious priority position given how poor our centre backs are, but Morgan Rogers represents a significant upgrade on our attacking midfield/wing options with the exception of Cole Palmer, and is a big statement of intent.
Jeremy: This is the first signing we've made in years that I'm genuinely excited about. We've signed a proven Premier League player, who is world class, under the noses of the Premier League champions. This is exactly the type of signing us fans have been screaming out for since the owners came in. I can't wait for the season to start now!
Ted: If Rogers can play for us as he played all through the World Cup, we have a great chance to be as good as we have been in the past.
Ahmed: Another big gamble and hope it'll yield positive results at the end by winning trophies and taking Chelsea to its normal position competitively.
Robert: Great bit of business. I don't know quite how we have managed to pry him away from Arsenal. They are champions and have European football, but I am not complaining. However, £117m is very expensive for any player, and considering our financial situation without Champions League football.
Daniel: He fits into Xabi Alonso's plan in that he can actually play in two positions perfectly, which is the number 10 role and left wing. It was a priority in that the positions were not adequately covered since the departure of legend Eden Hazard who played those roles brilliantly.
James: Whilst I welcome any new signing, I can't help but think this money could have been better spent on other areas of the squad that require improvement. We all know English players come at a premium and this is a reflection of the market. I hope Rogers has been signed to play with, and not instead of, Cole Palmer.
Where will Rogers fit in at Stamford Bridge?published at 09:40 BST 22 July
09:40 BST 22 July
Nizaar Kinsella Chelsea reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Morgan Rogers' friendship with his new club-mate Cole Palmer goes back a long way - and actually inspired the latter's famous 'cold' goal celebration.
Palmer first performed it in December 2023, after scoring two goals in a 3-2 win at Luton, and he has since taken ownership of the celebration, registering a trademark for it with the UK Intellectual Property Office.
However, it was first meant as a tribute to Rogers, as he had performed the celebration after scoring a goal for Middlesbrough against West Brom.
It was after moving from his local club West Brom to Manchester City that Rogers first struck up a friendship with Palmer. Both were 16 years old and soon starred in attack for City's FA Youth Cup-winning under-18 side in 2020.
Palmer is not the only familiar face Rogers will encounter at Stamford Bridge though.
He already knows Levi Colwill and Reece James through the England set-up, while Tosin Adarabioyo, Jamie Gittens, Romeo Lavia and Liam Delap all came through City's academy system.
There is, however, the more important issue of football and where Rogers fits into the team, especially given Palmer is a similar type of player.
Rogers was among the players selected by England manager Thomas Tuchel ahead of Palmer for this summer's World Cup, but their versatility means they can either play together or in each other's position.
One source suggests Rogers will primarily play on the left, with Palmer operating centrally as a number 10. That would leave Estevao Willian, Pedro Neto and new signing Geovany Quenda competing for places on the right - and Jamie Gittens as his understudy.
Chelsea are likely to use a back four at times next season, but they are also exploring a back-three system, which Xabi Alonso used to devastating effect when winning the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024.
That could allow Palmer and Rogers to play together as dual number 10s, while wingers would be asked to operate in deeper wing-back roles.
The Cherries made it clear to the Blues that any further approaches would not be welcomed and that they intend to keep hold of one of their star players.
However, it remains a difficult situation for the club as the England Under-21 international has rejected a new contract that has been on the table for at least two months.
Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Manchester City also expressed an interest in Scott earlier in the window.
The west London side have joined Inter Milan in considering a move for the 32-year-old, who became a free agent when his City contract expired at the end of June.
Chelsea are also in talks to sign Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix while assessing other options in the market, including Como's Jacobo Ramon.
'Chelsea are the biggest club in London' - Rogerspublished at 09:08 BST 22 July
09:08 BST 22 July
Image source, Getty Images
New Chelsea signing Morgan Rogers says he is "really excited" about "where the club is heading" under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The Blues completed the signing of England midfielder Rogers from Aston Villa for a British record transfer fee of £117m on Monday.
It had been widely expected that Rogers, who was Villa's most prized asset, would be available only for an English transfer record fee, but many expected Arsenal to be the frontrunners.
However, Chelsea had been tracking Rogers for more than two years and had quietly made him their top attacking target with a combined effort involving the club's sporting directors, Alonso and co-owner Behdad Eghbali helping to secure a deal.
"I'm so excited," Rogers said on the move.
"For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I've always admired since I was a kid.
"I'm really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we've got and where the club is heading. That's why I'm here and I can't wait to get started.
"The way the club wants to go and how it wants to move forward, it's something I want to be a part of and I think it was just perfect for me.
"I'm a free spirit, free-flowing footballer. I like to take risks, make things happen, change games. Whatever that may take. Just can't wait to get started."
Chelsea release new 2026-27 away kitpublished at 09:08 BST 22 July
09:08 BST 22 July
Image source, Getty Images
Chelsea have released their new 2026-27 away kit, which is black with a yellow trim.
The yellow, called "Midwest Gold lustre" by the club, is also the trim on the new home kit and the two kits are also linked with the laurel wreath motif on the home shirt also bordering the round neck and sleeve cuffs of the away shirt, and appearing on the away kit's golden socks.
On each of the shirt's shoulders there is also an engineered rib of gold.
The new kit will first see action during Chelsea's upcoming pre-season tour to Australia and Asia.
Check your World Cup Predictor results - and start playing our new gamepublished at 08:26 BST 22 July
08:26 BST 22 July
Now the dust has settled on the 2026 World Cup, you can officially review your Predictor results for the tournament.
If you played more than four rounds, BBC Sport has done a deep dive into your predictions, tournament performance and compared you to other players.
Don't worry, though, Predictor isn't stopping at international tournaments! Pre-season has kicked off and there are plenty of friendlies and European qualifiers to keep us occupied before the new season gets under way.
So how do you fancy your chances of correctly predicting the scores for our six selected matches every week?
BBC Sport has launched a new weekly Predictor game to cover the 2026-27 season, allowing users to pick what they think will be the result from six fixtures from across the leagues.
There will usually be a Friday deadline and the game will also feature streaks, so make sure to build it into your weekly football habits.
If you're wondering how to play, here are a few easy steps:
Click on the link above to take you to the selections page.
For every match, you either choose a winning team or select a draw - once your prediction has been submitted you won't be able to change it, so be sure to pick carefully.
Then wait for the results to roll in to see how you have done.
Share your results with your friends and family.
Every consecutive round you play adds one to your streak, but if you miss a round then your streak will reset to zero.
Are transfer fees actually bigger now?published at 08:04 BST 22 July
08:04 BST 22 July
Mohamed Moallim BBC Sport Journalist
Image source, Getty Images
The Premier League's financial landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. Since 2016 total summer transfer spending has risen from £1.16bn to a record £3.19bn in 2025 – an increase of almost 175%.
On the surface, that suggests transfer figures are continuing to accelerate. Headline fees, though, tell only part of the story.
Research by Kieran Maguire and colleagues at the University of Liverpool suggests some of the Premier League's earlier record signings represented even greater investments when measured against clubs' buying power at the time.
Using Premier League broadcasting revenues as an index, Alan Shearer's £15m move from Blackburn Rovers to Newcastle United in 1996 remains the league's biggest transfer relative to clubs' spending power. Rio Ferdinand's £29.1m move to Manchester United in 2002 and Juan Sebastian Veron's £28.1m arrival at Old Trafford in 2001 also rank above any of this summer's blockbuster deals.
The same model suggests Trevor Francis' £1m move from Birmingham City to Forest in 1979 – English football's first £1m transfer – would equate to about £173m in today's market.
That does not mean the fees paid for Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali were modest. Rather, it reflects how dramatically Premier League revenues have grown, allowing clubs to spend sums that would once have been unimaginable.
When Jack Grealish became Britain's first £100m footballer when joining City from Villa in 2021, the transfer marked another turning point in the evolution of the market.
Only five years later, nine-figure deals are no longer viewed as extraordinary. They have become a familiar feature of Premier League transfer windows.
The next milestone may not be far away.
While no Premier League club has yet paid £200m for a player, football's financial ceiling continues to rise and the first transfer of that magnitude no longer feels beyond the realms of possibility.
Image source, Getty Images
