According to a report, Chelsea officials are fighting to stop a mass exodus from Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Sun newspaper in the UK claims that four star names want out with Chelsea set for a mid-table finish at best this season and no European soccer next season.
[ MORE: Five horse title race? ]
Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Oscar all want out as the Blues are just four points off the relegation zone following a terrible season for the defending Premier League champs.
The report says that Chelsea “are scared poor results, a fractured dressing room and no Champions League football next term will cost them this summer.”
With Jose Mourinho gone and Guus Hiddink steadying the ship for now, the long-term direction of the club is supposedly being questioned by the big names
Where would they all go? Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a summer move for Eden Hazard, while PSG have also been rumored to want Costa and Juventus have been long-term admirers of Oscar. As for Courtois, maybe he will head back to Atletico Madrid?
[ MORE: Latest transfer news ]
This mass clear out certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility as a new permanent manager will arrive in the summer and will likely be given a huge transfer kitty to freshen up the squad. Selling on under-performing stars could be an easy way for owner Roman Abramovich to fill up the coffers and there are likely to be plenty of suitors for the aforementioned quartet if they do leave west London.
Watch this space, as a fire sale of epic proportions could take place at Chelsea with the aim being to cash in on stars while they can -- and before another bad season diminishes their value even further -- and use the cash to build a brand new team.