Over the last 12 months, Chelsea have become pretty familiar with players entering the final 12 months of their deals. Thomas Tuchel saw Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger depart at the end of their contracts at the beginning of this summer after a season where their future was a consistent question in press conferences and forward planning.
Thiago Silva entered 2021/22 in a similar position before extending his deal by a further year in January, while Cesar Azpilicueta saw a clause enacted in his contract to extend his deal beyond this summer. The duo enter this season with similar questions over their head, while the likes of N'Golo Kante and Jorginho are yet to see their contract situations resolved.
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Tuchel stated towards the end of last term that he did not want to see the duo's situations pervade 2022/23 in the way it did for Christensen and Rudiger - regardless of the outcome. Talks over the possibility of extending the midfielders' deals are not expected until the new season, though admittedly, the Everton match is close.
However, contract issues go beyond the starting XI. The likes of Marcus Bettinelli, Michy Batshuayi and Ross Barkley are all coming to the end of their deals, and the next four weeks will likely see the Blues try to earn some value before they depart for free.
Beyond that, there are a number of players among Chelsea's development ranks who could see their time come to an end with the Blues in 2023. Billy Gilmour would have entered that position had the club not activated a clause in his contract to extend his deal until 2024. This gives them a stronger position to arrange any loan or transfer, should he not make Tuchel's final 25 squad for the 2022/23 season.
There is the possibility that Chelsea have a number of youngsters with options in their contracts, but there remains an extensive list. Leo Castledine, Dion Rankine, Dujon Sterling, Jude Soonsup-Bell, Jayden Wareham, Harvey Vale and Charlie Webster are among the number. Some may be approaching the stage of being ready to find loan experience. Signing a contract is often a condition before a temporary departure, however. Ethan Wady, for example, only extended his deal for a year before heading to Woking, but the club do retain an option to lengthen that deal.
In the cases of those who are highly regarded like Vale and Webster, it appears Chelsea will be prepared to stick to their guns. The former joined the first week of the tour of the USA before joining with development teammates and also made the trip to Udinese with the first team, perhaps in part to persuade him a pathway exists at a club. Vale is likely to want game time, a loan could offer that, and the Blues will be hopeful he commits his future to the Stamford Bridge club.
Tuchel suggested upon returning from the states that conversations would be had with the likes of Vale over their place going forward. That may indicate that his place in the squad may be impacted by his future plans and vice versa.
Tuchel said of the youngster: "Sometimes very young players like Harvey in transition from youth football to Premier League football it can be OK for a year; however you adapt to physicality and intensity in training, but at some point you need games."
Chelsea must decide where Vale lies on that spectrum and also who they want to extend the contracts to then ensure the negotiations are in a place where loan moves can be found for those that need them or risk everyone losing out.
It will be an intresting month of the window as Chelsea plan the futures of many players not quite in Tuchels plans next season and to good for development football.
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