The final day of the transfer window was a busy one for Chelsea in terms of outgoings.
16:31, 02 Sep 2026Updated 16:32, 02 Sep 2026
Xabi Alonso now has a smaller Chelsea squad to work with after the transfer window.(Image: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
It was a busy final few weeks of the transfer window for Chelsea, as the club managed to pull off an unlikely feat to avoid an awkward situation.
Earlier this summer, it was announced by FIFAPRO that ‘bomb squads’, which see players who are not a part of the first team picture training away from the group, will not be allowed . It’s a practice previously used by Chelsea amid an inflated squad.
“Players will be better protected from abusive practices,” FIFAPRO said.
“Demoting players, forcing them to train in isolation as a form of pressure, withholding passports or abusing registration procedures are now expressly prohibited. These practices have affected too many players for too long and have no place in modern football.”
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The changes mean that, just a matter of weeks ago, Chelsea had a race against time to try and move on the majority of the players who were not going to play a part this season.
Just 25 days ago, the Blues first-team squad had 46 members. It means concentration in the final days was on sorting outgoings, to avoid leaving Xabi Alonso with a bloated squad, with him unable to use a lot of players.
In the last week alone, Chelsea moved out 10 players, either on loan or on permanent deals. S triker Liam Delap was among those to complete permanent moves away, joining Nottingham Forest in a deal that could rise to £50 million.
Fellow striker David Datro Fofana has moved to Swiss side Servette FC. Nicolas Jackson has signed for Aston Villa in a deal which could reach £65 million.
Liam Delap has left Chelsea for Nottingham Forest.(Image: Ritchie Sumpter/Nottingham Forest FC via Getty Images)
There were also loan deals for Caleb Wiley, who joined Preston and Mamadou Sarr, who joined Real Sociedad.
Deadline day saw several outgoings. The biggest was Enzo Fernandez’s £125 million move to Manchester City.
Defender Tosin Adarabiyo also joined Tottenham on a permanent deal, with midfielder Mykhailo Mudryk joining the same club on loan. The final hours also saw Dario Essugo join Strasbourg on loan, Robert Sanchez join Como on loan, and Marc Guiu join RB Leipzig on a permanent deal.
The work in the final days of the window, means that Chelsea’s squad is down from 46 to 30. Premier League rules allow clubs to submit a squad of up to 25 senior players, with players under the age of 21 included on a second unlimited list, players who will be on that list include Josh Acheampong and Estavao.
Chelsea did attempt to bring in a new player in the final hours of the transfer window. They had agreed a deal with Monaco for Lamine Camara, only for the deal for fall through at the last minute .
However, in terms of exits, it can be seen as a successful last few days, which eases a potential problem for Alonso until the January window opens again in just a few months.
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