Three Chelsea stars leave club in summer exodus under Todd Boehly

Thiago Silva led a mini-exodus at Chelsea this week as he heads back to Brazil, while two academy players have also departed. It marked the end of an era for the legendary Silva at Stamford Bridge as his four-year tenure came to an end following the expiration of his contract.

Silva joined the club at 35 and made more than 100 appearances for the Blues, clinching his first Champions League trophy and becoming their oldest goalscorer thanks to his impact against Manchester City last November. The retired Brazil international will return to his home country with childhood club Fluminense, as confirmed by The Mirror.

Todd Boehly’s Chelsea team has been a constant whirlwind of change, with N’Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Christian Pulisic all departing the club last year. And the early signs suggest this transfer window will be no different.

Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall have already finalised Premier League moves this summer as the club attempts to comply with the league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules. Hall has joined Newcastle permanently after spending last season on loan at the club, while Maatsen recently joined Aston Villa.

Following Silva out of the exit are academy defenders Josh Brooking and Noah Hay, who have also left Chelsea after their contracts ran out at the end of June. Neither player recorded a senior appearance for the west Londoners and both head for pastures new as free agents.

Brooking joined the academy from Reading in 2018 and captained the Premier League 2 side last year. Hay, meanwhile, had been part of Chelsea’s academy system for just two years and featured for the Under-18 side.

The departure of Silva will be a significant blow to the club, even given his advanced years. Although the signing of free agent Tosin Adarabioyo – formerly of Manchester City and Fulham – has somewhat filled the void, Silva’s leadership will be sorely missed.

It’s also reported Chelsea may have to generate £100million in player sales in order to avoid penalties, potentially leading to further departures. Boehly’s tenure at Chelsea is proving ruthless, with Silva expected to be followed by several of his teammates in exiting the club this window.

Trevoh Chalobah and England’s Conor Gallagher are among those heavily linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge. Albania striker Armando Broja and out-of-favour Romelu Lukaku are among those who could fetch significant fees, with the latter potentially boosting his prospects of a move after showing up for Belgium at Euro 2024.