Liam Delap is one of Chelsea's main summer signings, while Marcus Bettinelli has left
Chelsea have been one of the busiest clubs in the past few summer transfer windows and this year is proving to be no different.
As many as six signings have been confirmed by the Blues before their participation in the Club World Cup, but that won’t be where they stop as work continues on some other major pursuits.
Naturally, to counteract the characteristic big spending, players will need to leave as well.
Chelsea have Champions League football on the cards for the 2025-26 season, so will be working tirelessly to make sure their squad is in shape for it.
Here is a roundup of every signing they have made this summer and every player leaving, at first team and academy level.
Chelsea signings
Dario Essugo
From: Sporting CP
Fee: £18.5m
Position: Midfielder
Age: 20
Chelsea agreed their deal to sign Essugo back in March, as part of a double raid on Sporting that will also see Geovany Quenda make the same move in the summer of 2026.
At the time, Essugo was on loan at Las Palmas, where he finished the season with 27 appearances in LaLiga.
The Portuguese midfielder has signed a contract until 2033 at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea completed the deal in time for the Club World Cup.
“It’s a big step to make early in my career,” Essugo told Chelsea’s official website. “Every player dreams of getting to a big club and Chelsea is no exception. It’s a massive club and I’m feeling proud and very happy to be here.”
It remains to be seen how many starting opportunities Essugo will get at first in a Chelsea shirt, given that with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez they already have two of the most expensive midfielders in the world in their squad.
Kendry Paez
From: Independiente del Valle
Fee: £17.3m
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 18
Chelsea agreed to sign Paez two years ago, but he has only been able to officially complete his move this summer now he’s turned 18.
The Ecuadorian attacking midfielder made 70 appearances for Independiente del Valle and scored 13 goals.
Chelsea have acquired a whole host of young talents under their current ownership, so would struggle to fit them all in the same team straight away.
With that in mind, reports indicate Chelsea will send Paez on loan to sister club Strasbourg for the 2025-26 season.
Mike Penders
From: Genk
Fee: £17m
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 19
Chelsea pre-agreed to sign Penders from Genk last summer, with the move formally going through this June.
The teenage goalkeeper had a breakout season with Genk in between, making 22 appearances in all competitions.
Chelsea have been on the hunt for a new first-choice goalkeeper, postponing their pursuit of Mike Maignan from AC Milan, but are expected to take Penders with them to the Club World Cup to compete with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen.
Estevao Willian
From: Palmeiras
Fee: £29m
Position: Winger
Age: 18
Another signing with roots in a previous window, Estevao was lined up for a move to Chelsea last June, with the Blues merely having to wait until he turned 18 in April to be able to welcome him.
The attacking midfielder made 78 appearances for Palmeiras and scored 26 goals, making a name for himself as one of the biggest prospects in South American football.
Carlo Ancelotti started Estevao during his first game as Brazil manager, in further recognition of not just his potential but the level he is already playing at.
While Chelsea have managed to pay £29m as an initial fee for Estevao, he could end up costing up to £52m thanks to add-ons in the deal.
Estevao is expected to be on contract until 2033 in west London.
Liam Delap
From: Ipswich Town
Fee: £30m
Position: Striker
Age: 22
Delap has become the latest incumbent of Chelsea’s no.9 shirt after signing a contract until 2031.
The striker will hope to fare better than some of his predecessors as he looks to build on the promise of a 12-goal season with Ipswich.
Relegation from the Premier League made Delap available for £30m due to a release clause in his contract.
There was widespread interest in the former Manchester City youngster, but Chelsea won the race.
“It’s going to be an incredible place for me to develop, and I hope to achieve amazing things here and help the club win more trophies,” Delap said.
Mamadou Sarr
From: Strasbourg
Fee: £11.9m
Position: Defender
Age: 19
Chelsea have used Strasbourg as a springboard club for some of their younger talents since BlueCo added the French club to their stable in 2023.
In 2024, Strasbourg signed Sarr from Lyon – and a year later, the defender has completed a switch to Chelsea.
It was reportedly arranged in January for Sarr to join Chelsea this summer, but the club took until June to announce the deal anyway.
Sarr signed an eight-year contract at Stamford Bridge after playing 28 times for Strasbourg last season.
Despite his youthful age, it’s expected that Sarr will become a member of Chelsea’s first-team squad straight away.
Chelsea exits
Dylan Williams
To: Burton Albion
Fee: Free
Position: Left-back
Age: 21
After spending last season on loan in League One with Burton Albion, Williams has made the move permanent as a free agent.
The defender joined Chelsea from Derby County in 2022 but never made his senior debut for the Blues; the 33 appearances he made for Burton last season suggest he’s found a more appropriate place to settle.
Bashir Humphreys
To: Burnley
Fee: £10m
Position: Defender
Age: 22
Humphreys had three loan spells away from Chelsea after coming through the academy: with Paderborn, Swansea City and Burnley.
During the latter spell, Humphreys made 28 appearances – mainly at left-back – until an injury in February.
That wasn’t the last we’ll see of Humphreys in a Burnley shirt, though, since they have signed him on a permanent basis after their promotion to the Premier League.
It will be his first chance to play in the top flight, since his only two senior appearances for Chelsea were in cup competitions.
Lucas Bergstrom
To: TBC (Released)
Fee: Free
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 22
Seven years ago, Chelsea signed a youthful Bergstrom for their academy. The Finnish goalkeeper went on to have loan spells with Peterborough United and IF Brommapojkarna.
He spent the 2024-25 season back at Chelsea, but never even made the bench for a Premier League game. He was sometimes the sub keeper in the Conference League – including in the final – and once in the EFL Cup, but still remained without a debut.
Chelsea used Bergstrom a few times for their under-21 team last season, but with Penders on his way in, have decided it’s time to let him go.
Eddie Beach
To: TBC (Released)
Fee: Free
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 21
Beach was a relatively recent addition to Chelsea’s youth ranks, joining from Southampton’s academy in 2022.
The Welsh goalkeeper never got a senior debut for the club, though, enduring loan spells with Chelmsford City and Gateshead in non-league before spending the 2024-25 campaign in League One with Crawley Town.
Partially impacted by injury, Beach’s only appearance for Crawley came in the FA Cup.
Luke Campbell
To: TBC (Released)
Fee: Free
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 19
Chelsea signed Campbell at under-9 level in their youth system and he spent some time on loan in the seventh tier of English football with Hendon last season.
Despite earning a handful of under-21 appearances since his reintegration by Chelsea, the goalkeeper hasn’t been retained.
Marcell Washington
To: TBC (Released)
Fee: Free
Position: Left-back
Age: 17
Washington only made it up to under-18 level with Chelsea, but spent some time as a triallist with Arsenal’s under-21s earlier this year.
Reports indicate the left-back – who can also play further forward on the same flank – will complete a move to Arsenal after his release by the Blues.
Marcus Bettinelli
To: Man City
Fee: Nominal
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 33
Bettinelli spent four years as a senior member of Chelsea’s goalkeeping department, usually finding himself third in the pecking order.
As such, his only appearance for the club came in the FA Cup back in 2022.
Although there was a year remaining on his contract, Chelsea allowed Bettinelli to depart when Manchester City asked for him in the early June transfer window.
City had just confirmed Scott Carson was leaving the club at the end of his contract, so opted for another experienced English goalkeeper to become their new third-choice.