Graham Potter has praised Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic and Romelu Lukaku, but admits he is ‘not in control’ of their futures at Chelsea.
Following Todd Boelhy’s mammoth spending spree over the last two windows, Chelsea seemingly have to sell in order to balance the books and comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, with Graham Potter having to manage well over 30 players as part of his first team squad.
It has been reported that a number of Chelsea’s academy graduates could be the ones to be sold as they would represent pure profit on the club’s accountancy books, with the likes of Mason Mount perhaps the most valuable in that category.
The England international has strongly been linked with a number of the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’, while a reunion with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich has also been mentioned.
Mateo Kovacic has also been linked with an exit as Chelsea look to trim their bloated squad, and speaking ahead of this weekend’s game against Aston Villa, Graham Potter said he is ‘not in control’ of whether the players stay or leave.
“That is the challenge we have,” said the Chelsea boss. “We have a big squad, a deep squad with a lot of really good players. These things are really complicated because it’s not about my opinion. It’s about the player, the club, lots of things I am not in control of.
“All I can do is give my opinion of Mason as a footballer and a person and I have nothing but positive things to say about him.
“I also have huge respect for Mateo as a person. He plays a role for the team and has been captain as well. But it is between Mateo and the club.
“It is never an ideal world and you deal with what you have to deal with in the summer and make decisions.
“You do your business like everyone else does and accept you have to do what is right for this football club and not worry about anyone else.“
Romelu Lukaku was brought in as Chelsea’s cub record signing in the summer of 2021, costing the club a then-record £98.5 million, only for the Belgian to be allowed to leave on loan to Inter Milan last summer after a disappointing first season back at the club.
Inter Milan have said he will return to Stamford Bridge this summer, and Potter says that the striker is a player he admires.
“He needs to finish the season well and then we have a decision to make,” said Potter.
“He is someone I like a lot and I admire a lot but it’s something we have to talk about in the summer.“
