Mauricio Pochettino is set to have the biggest call to make as Chelsea manager before he has even started as head coach. With his official start date not until July 1, by the time he arrives at Cobham things could look very different.
He is likely to be without a group of at least seven first team players as well as Denis Zakaria and Joao Felix who didn't have their loans extended. Even for a sizeable 32 man squad, it is quite the difference.
Now, with the last week before true preparation gets underway for the pre-season tour of America, Pochettino will have to get to planning for a reality that many hadn't predicted.
After 11 years at the club, Cesar Azpilicueta is set to leave Chelsea and will relinquish the captaincy. The 33-year-old took over from John Terry as permanent skipper following his exit from Stamford Bridge in 2017. Since then he has lead the side to a Champions League win, Europa League win, FA Cup win as well as UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup victory. He also captained in three FA Cup final losses and a League Cup final defeat, too.
After a glorious spell at the club he is now preparing to move on to pastures new, according to Fabrizio Romano. The transfer guru reports that Azpilicueta has agreed personal terms with Inter and could have his contract terminated by Chelsea in order to ensure a deal goes through.
Out of respect for Azpilicueta, who made his 500th appearance in Chelsea blue earlier this season away at Anfield, the Blues would be cutting his deal short. After being linked with an exit to Barcelona for much of last summer he signed a late two-year extension. With injuries and added competition in the squad, he only went on to play 1,500 minutes of league football, his lowest since joining by over 500 minutes.
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Compared to the 2019/20 season his game time has more than halved. It is evidence of his struggles to work as a wing-back or orthodox full-back in recent seasons, though he remained a key option as an outside centre-back in a back three. It now appears that he will be moving on before the Pochettino era truly starts, leaving plenty for the new manager and players to replace.
Azpilicueta will leave the club short of experience and notable leaders. Thiago Silva would become the only first team player over 30 with only four players remaining aged over 25. Outside of potential incomings, Silva is now head and shoulders above the closest player in terms of age.
He may well now also have to take up a new role in the squad. As vice-captain following the January departure of Jorginho, the Brazilian has taken the armband consistently since joining from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and will now be a leading candidate to do the job full-time.
Other than Reece James, Ben Chilwell and potentially Raheem Sterling, there is a major absence of choices in this regard. Although there are emergent leaders within, Enzo Fernandez fits this bill, it leaves plenty to be replaced in terms of leadership and experience.
For Silva, who has a one-year effective rolling deal of his own, it would be nothing new after acting as a leader and captain throughout his career, but it would also be a stop-gap with the 38-year-old unable to continue forever.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has also been captain during matches at times this season with other options off the field but his long-term future is uncertain. James is a natural option but is a shy character and perhaps would benefit as understudy to Silva for another season.
Either way, having made Hugo Lloris his captain at Tottenham shortly after joining, Pochettino will now need to judge his squad quickly and make a similar choice at Chelsea.
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