Football
Exclusive: Chelsea Struggling to Find Buyer for Frozen-Out Ben Chilwell
Struggling to find a suitor for defender Ben Chilwell, Chelsea are desperate to offload the high-earner, who is unwilling to take a pay cut. Linked with Leeds and Burnley, a permanent move is preferred by Chelsea, but they may consider paying half his wages for a loan. Chilwell's injury struggles have hindered his time at Stamford Bridge, with clubs abroad also not making concrete offers for the former England international.
Chelsea v Barrow - Carabao Cup Third Round by Mike Hewitt | Getty Images
Chelsea are struggling to find a suitor for defender Ben Chilwell, SportsBoom sources can exclusively revealed.
The former England international is one of the club’s highest earners with wages around the £200,000-a-week mark, and Enzo Maresca is desperate to get the substantial sum off the books, but it appears easier said than done.
Our sources understand the England international is unwilling to take a substantial pay cut to secure a move, with his contract at the club running until 2027.
The left-back played just once under Maresca last season, in a Carabao Cup game against League Two outfit Barrow.
He was then shipped to Crystal Palace on loan for the second half of the season and was part of their FA Cup winning squad.
However, Palace were not willing to extend his stay at Selhurst Park permanently.
Career Crossroads
Chilwell has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge and is not part of Maresca’s plans in West London.
He has been linked with newly-promoted Leeds United and Burnley, but it is unlikely either club would be willing to pay his wages.
It is understood that Chelsea prefer a permanent move for the 28-year-old, but would be willing to pay up to half of his wages for a loan move this season as a last resort.
Our sources also understand that Chilwell has been offered to clubs abroad, but are yet to receive a concrete offer for his services.
Chilwell has had his struggles with injuries during his time at the Blues. He ruptured his cruciate in 2021.
He signed a new deal with the club in 2023 and was named vice captain, captaining the side during their 2024 EFL Cup final defeat to Liverpool.
But his Chelsea career was effectively over when Maresca took over and revealed he had no part to play in his project.
Shane is an experienced sports journalist with over a decade on the front line, covering everything from football to horse racing. A familiar face in the snooker pressroom, his work regularly appears in the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, and Daily Star, alongside SportsBoom.
While snooker is where many readers know him best, cricket is his true sporting passion, though he tends to keep that side of him separate from his professional beat.
A staunch traditionalist, he’s unlikely to share your enthusiasm if you believe The Hundred is the future of Test cricket.