The Hard Tackle lists five centre-backs Chelsea should sell in the summer transfer window in the wake of Xabi Alonso’s comments that he wants only four or five options for the 2026/27 season.
Chelsea’s recruitment strategy under the BlueCo ownership has created a remarkably deep squad. However, it has also left the club with a massive logjam at the heart of their defense. With ten recognised central defenders currently on the books, training sessions at Cobham look more like a specialised defensive convention than a streamlined elite football squad. Balancing these many personalities, skill sets, and wage packets is an impossible task for any modern manager.
The task of solving this puzzle falls squarely on the shoulders of new manager Xabi Alonso. Fresh off a major structural shakeup at Stamford Bridge, headlined by the £52 million arrival of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, the Spanish tactician has lost no time making his stance clear. Alonso is a manager who values tactical clarity and lean rosters, and his vision does not include a bloated ten-man depth chart at one position.
During Chelsea’s pre-season tour, Alonso revealed his preferred number of centre-backs, saying, “Four or five. Is that accurate enough?” This candid comment serves as a clear warning to the squad. With five slots available at the absolute maximum, exactly half of Chelsea’s current centre-back options must be cleared out before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Here are the five centre-backs Chelsea should part ways with to fulfill Xabi Alonso’s blueprint and restore balance to the squad.
Axel Disasi
Despite proving himself as a robust and passionate figure since his arrival from AS Monaco, Axel Disasi is the most logical high-profile candidate for the chopping block. The Frenchman has failed to consistently display the mobility and elite recovery pace required to play in Alonso’s demanding, high-line defensive system.
While Disasi is an excellent traditional, front-footed defender, the signing of Maxence Lacroix directly overlaps with and replaces his profile. Lacroix brings superior recovery speed and identical physical dominance to the right side of the defense.
Selling the 28-year-old allows Chelsea to recoup a significant transfer fee from continental suitors while permanently freeing up a spot on the wage bill. He will not have a shortage of suitors pursuing his signature, with recent reports linking him with Aston Villa and the Serie A duo of AC Milan and AS Roma.
Benoit Badiashile
Benoit Badiashile possesses all the raw attributes of a top-tier modern defender. He is tall, possesses an impressive passing range, and is naturally left-footed. However, his tenure at Stamford Bridge has been marred by costly positional lapses and extreme inconsistency when pressured by aggressive Premier League pressing schemes.
With Levi Colwill firmly established as Chelsea’s crown-jewel left-sided defender, Badiashile has been relegated to an expensive luxury backup. Given that Napoli are keen on sealing a deal quickly, moving him on represents an appealing opportunity to reduce the wage bill and Alonso’s options. The manager requires hyper-focused reliability, a trait Badiashile has unfortunately struggled to deliver in West London.
Trevoh Chalobah
Trevoh Chalobah is a beloved academy graduate who has repeatedly stepped up in moments of crisis, but his time at Chelsea has reached a natural conclusion. The club’s hierarchy has reportedly made him available for sale at £35 million, signalling that his future lies away from Stamford Bridge amid his growing links with Como.
As a homegrown player, any transfer fee generated from Chalobah’s sale translates directly into “pure profit” on the club’s financial balance sheets, a crucial metric for Premier League compliance. Chalobah is too talented to sit in the stands as a sixth or seventh-choice option, and a permanent move to a club offering regular first-team football serves both the player’s career and Alonso’s trimming goals perfectly.
Tosin Adarabioyo
Signing Tosin Adarabioyo in a Bosman move was a sensible, low-risk piece of business to add experienced Premier League depth. However, the unexpected opportunity to sign a marquee target like Maxence Lacroix has completely shifted the power dynamics within the squad. Tosin now finds himself completely buried at the bottom of the senior pecking order.
While it may seem harsh to flip a player so quickly, football at this level is ruthless. Because he arrived on a free transfer, selling the 28-year-old for even a modest fee represents an instant financial win. For a player who chose Chelsea to compete at the highest level, a swift exit is far better than spending an entire campaign completely left out of Alonso’s matchday squads.
Mamadou Sarr
Mamadou Sarr is an impressive defensive prospect with a very high ceiling. However, at just 20 years old, he is not yet ready to handle the immediate pressure of Alonso’s first-team demands. While the other four defenders on this list should be sold permanently, Sarr represents the fifth “departure” through a necessary development loan.
Sarr split the previous season between a loan spell at RC Strasbourg and a brief recall to London, proving that he desperately needs a stable, year-long environment where he can start over 30 top-flight matches. Keeping him at Chelsea to play sporadic cup minutes would stunt his growth. Sending Sarr out on a structured loan removes him from the immediate squad count, fulfilling Alonso’s magical “four or five” target while protecting a valuable long-term asset.
The Final Five: By moving Disasi, Badiashile, Chalobah, and Tosin permanently, and sending Sarr on loan, Chelsea will be left with a strong and balanced core of Maxence Lacroix, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Aaron Anselmino, and the versatile youth option Josh Acheampong. That leaves Xabi Alonso with exactly five specialised centre-backs; perfectly accurate, just as he requested.
