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Chelsea expiring contracts: Who is free to leave next summer and in 2026?

Sports Mole rounds up all of Chelsea's expiring contracts for this season and next.

Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have made a habit of handing long-term contracts to as many players as possible since their arrival in 2022.

However, there have been squad members who have not been presented with extended deals, some more surprising than not.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the players whose contracts either expire in 2025 or 2026.


Which Chelsea players are out of contract in 2026?

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga during the warm up  on April 4, 2022© Reuters

Age: 29
Position: Goalkeeper
Transfer value: £10.2m
Joined: August 8, 2018
Joining fee: £71.6m
Chelsea appearances: 163
Chelsea clean sheets: 59

Honours

  • Champions League (2): 2020-21, 2023-24

  • Europa League (1): 2018-19

  • FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2021

  • UEFA Super Cup (1): 2021

  • La Liga (1): 2023-24

  • Supercopa de Espana (1): 2023-24

  • UEFA Nations League (1): 2022-23
  • Kepa Arrizabalaga had hoped that a season-long loan switch to Real Madrid would ultimately lead to a permanent switch to the Bernabeu.

    However, losing his place midway through the season led to the Spain international returning to his parent club ahead of an eventual loan switch to Bournemouth.


    Alfie Gilchrist

    Chelsea's Alfie Gilchrist pictured in January 2024© Reuters

    Age: 20
    Position: Defender
    Transfer value: £4.25m
    Joined: 2014
    Joining fee: Academy graduate
    Chelsea appearances: 17
    Chelsea goals: 1

    Honours

    No silverware won.


    Up until December, Alfie Gilchrist had not made a single appearance as a professional, yet the academy graduate would prove to be a valuable squad member during the second half of the campaign.

    Although Chelsea officials have agreed a new contract with the versatile defender, he has made the temporary switch to Championship side Sheffield United.


    Marcus Bettinelli

    Chelsea's Marcus Bettinelli in action as he makes his debut on January 8, 2022© Reuters

    Age: 32
    Position: Goalkeeper
    Transfer value: £850,000
    Joined: 2021
    Joining fee: Free
    Chelsea appearances: 1
    Chelsea clean sheets: 0

    Honours

  • FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2021

  • Championship playoffs (2): 2018, 2020

  • Marcus Bettinelli has spent the last three years as the perfect clubman at Chelsea, acting as third-choice goalkeeper with minimal fuss.

    The 31-year-old may, at some stage, want first-team football elsewhere, but for now, another campaign in his current role appears to be more likely than not.


    Josh Acheampong

    Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong in August 2024.© Imago

    Age: 18
    Position: Defender
    Transfer value: £10m
    Joined: 2014
    Joining fee: Academy
    Chelsea appearances: 2
    Chelsea clean sheets: 0

    Honours

    No silverware won.


    Having made his first-team debut against Tottenham Hotspur in May, Josh Acheampong is viewed as a potential first-team star by the powers-that-be at Chelsea.

    However, the 18-year-old will not make another senior appearance unless he agrees to extend his contract past the end of next season.


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