Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana are expected to depart Chelsea this summer in permanent deals, Soccernet.football understands.
Additionally, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is attracting interest from Serie A club Napoli, potentially following Broja and Fofana out of Stamford Bridge.
Broja and Fofana have faced uncertain futures at Chelsea, spending much of the last season on loan. Albanian forward Broja was loaned to Fulham for the second half of the season but did not score in his eight appearances. Ivory Coast striker Fofana had stints at Burnley and Union Berlin during the 2023/24 campaign.
Both players were notably absent from Chelsea’s squad in their pre-season friendly against Real Madrid in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The absence has fueled speculation that they are not part of new manager Enzo Maresca’s plans for the upcoming season.
Chelsea suffered a 2-1 defeat to the European champions, adding to their challenging pre-season, which includes heavy losses to Celtic and Manchester City.
Chelsea’s final pre-season fixture will be against Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge, before they commence their Premier League campaign at home against Manchester City on August 18.
It remains uncertain if Broja and Fofana will still be with Chelsea when the new season begins, with FabrizioRomano noting that “both are expected to leave on [a] permanent transfer” before the transfer window closes on August 30.
Regarding Kepa Arrizabalaga, Napoli are reportedly interested in the 29-year-old goalkeeper, especially if Alex Meret departs.
New Napoli manager Antonio Conte is reportedly unconvinced by Meret’s abilities, leading to speculation about Kepa’s potential move.
Kepa spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, making 20 appearances and helping the team secure a La Liga and Champions League double. His contract with Chelsea expires next summer, and he remains the most expensive goalkeeper in history, having joined Chelsea from Athletic Bilbao for £71.6 million in 2018.
Earlier this summer, Al-Ittihad had a bid for Kepa rejected by Chelsea, and the Saudi Arabian club has since cooled their interest.
