Chelsea’s 2025-26 campaign has been defined by apathy and renewed protests, with BlueCo’s ownership the focus of fan ire and co-owner Behdad Eghbali admitting a change of strategy could be in order. Supporters are tired of drift and, regardless of the route the club takes next, there are several squad figures who no longer look part of Chelsea’s long-term plan.

Robert Sánchez has delivered moments of quality, including in the FA Cup semifinal victory over Leeds United, and has produced runs of form that convinced some he might be the long-term option. Statistically he has had a fine Premier League season. However, unforced errors and lapses in possession persist and the article argues he remains upgradeable. “If Mike Maignan is on the table again, you go and get him. There’s no point keeping your current No. 1 around in that event. That’s avoidable tension.” He is probably a Premier League starter elsewhere, but Chelsea have loftier ambitions.

Wesley Fofana was signed for as much as $95 million (£70 million) in 2022 but has yet to justify that fee. Injuries have disrupted his time in west London and, even fit for much of 2025-26, he has struggled with discipline. Trevoh Chalobah has outperformed him and could be Levi Colwill’s partner for 2026–27. Chelsea should consider offers before contract conversations become awkward.

Benoît Badiashile has seldom been a regular starter. The ex-Monaco centre back failed to earn Enzo Maresca’s trust and much of his action was limited to the Conference League last season. A brief upsurge under Liam Rosenior fizzled out and, at 25, he faces a crossroads.

Among the wide players, Pedro Neto offered energy and impressed in the FA Cup but remains part of a collection of wingers described as largely mediocre. Alejandro Garnacho, signed last summer for $54 million (£40 million) on a seven-year deal, has 12 goal contributions this season but has not evolved consistently since his breakthrough and can be frustrating outside transition moments.

Marc Guiu, still only 20, was recalled from a planned 2025–26 loan to Sunderland and has operated as a third-choice centre forward at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea took a flyer on him in 2024. He has produced very little of note and would likely benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.

The BlueCo period at Chelsea has been defined by instability in the dugout and the steady turnover of managers. With Liam Rosenior the latest to lose the job, the club will begin 2026–27 with a sixth permanent manager under BlueCo. Below are the five bosses who managed more than 10 matches in that era, assessed on results and the lasting imprint of their tenures.

Frank Lampard (Games Managed: 11 | Winning Percentage: 9.1% | Trophies Won: 0)
Frank Lampard’s second spell as caretaker in 2022–23 stands in stark contrast to his earlier success. He had “overcoming a transfer ban to lead the Blues to the Champions League in 2019–20,” but his interim run in April produced Chelsea’s worst recent form. Lampard became the first and only manager in Chelsea’s history to lose the opening four games of his tenure. A 3–1 win against Bournemouth was the lone victory of his caretaker spell and the campaign finished with Chelsea 12th in the Premier League, their lowest top-flight finish since 1994.

Liam Rosenior (Games Managed: 23 | Winning Percentage: 47.8% | Trophies Won: 0)
Rosenior’s period began promisingly, with four consecutive Premier League wins and two Champions League victories that helped Chelsea qualify among the top eight in the group stage. The form collapsed thereafter: apart from FA Cup ties against lower-league opponents, Chelsea won just one of their last 11 matches under Rosenior. The team failed to score against a top-flight opponent in each of their last six games with him in charge. After Enzo Fernández scored a momentary equalizer in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea were outscored 17–0 by top-flight rivals until Rosenior’s sacking.

Graham Potter (Games Managed: 31 | Winning Percentage: 38.7% | Trophies Won: 0)
Potter, the first permanent BlueCo appointment, was unable to steady the side after Thomas Tuchel’s departure. Chelsea won seven of the 22 Premier League matches Potter oversaw and he left with a joint-lowest points-per-game record for managers with more than 20 league matches at 1.27, tied with Glenn Hoddle. After winning just four matches after the calendar turned to 2023, Potter was dismissed in early April while the club endured its most difficult season of the 21st century. He did reach the Champions League quarterfinals during his tenure.

Taken together, the five tenures reveal a period of repeated disruption and mixed short-term flashes amid extended poor runs of form.

Chelsea’s recent run of poor results has intensified a financial problem that was always tied to performance on the pitch. UEFA included further fines and a suspended one-season ban in the settlement should Chelsea breach the rules again in the next four years. Financial commentators cited by The Times say failing to secure Champions League income would leave the Stamford Bridge club at “serious risk” of breaching the agreement.

The settlement also sets out the potential sporting consequence. “In case of breach of settlement, the CFCB shall terminate the Settlement Agreement, and the club agrees on an exclusion from the next one applicable UEFA club competition for which it would otherwise qualify in the following three seasons,” the statement reads, via The Times.

Those possibilities are not expected to materialise this season because Champions League revenue from 2025–26 and prize money from winning the 2025 Club World Cup should make meeting the settlement feasible. The longer term concern is what happens once those income streams are no longer available.

Some have urged Chelsea to consider the path taken previously by AC Milan and Juventus and accept a one-season ban, on the basis that they may miss qualification for the Europa League or Conference League. The Times reports that Chelsea are not considering a voluntary one-year exclusion.

On the pitch, the situation makes sporting results urgent. Chelsea dismissed Liam Rosenior during the slump and appointed Calum McFarlane as interim manager. The club sit eighth, seven points behind fifth place, with a two-point gap to sixth. If Aston Villa finish fifth and win the Europa League, sixth would be enough for Champions League qualification, a scenario that would substantially ease the financial pressure.

If Champions League qualification is not achieved next season, the most obvious alternative to generate the required revenue would be player sales for major profit. Long-term contracts signed during the BlueCo era complicate that route and would make it harder to produce the necessary transfer gains to avoid breaching the settlement.