How Chelsea lost their players before they lost their 25/26 season

As we approach the final games of the 2025/2026 club football season, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse at Chelsea, with players voicing their concerns.

If football fans thought things could not go from bad to worse for Chelsea, the recent sequence of events now indicates that the fragile pile of cards could be on the verge of crumbling down as Blue Co obviously do not have their house in order.

In football, the moment senior players start talking publicly, you know something has gone deeply, irreparably wrong. Not injury updates. Not pre-match motivation. Actual, raw, pointed criticism, directed at the very club writing their paycheques.

That moment arrived for Chelsea FC this international break, and it may well define the fate of the entire Boehly-Clearlake project.

Two players. Two interviews. One damning verdict on a club that is losing the hearts of its own locker room.

What did Cucurella and Enzo Fernández say about Chelsea?

While away on international duty, Marc Cucurella sat down with The Athletic and delivered words that no ownership group ever wants to see in print. Speaking openly about the club's transfer strategy, the Spanish defender stated, "I understand this is part of the club's policy, and that they want to take this direction, signing young players and looking to the future. But, for all of us who are still here and want to win big things, moments like this make you feel discouraged."

He didn't stop there; he added, "We have a good core of players. The foundations are there. But to fight for major trophies such as the Premier League or the Champions League, you need more. Signing young players only might complicate achieving those goals. Against PSG, we lacked players who had gone through situations like that."

His comments follow fellow Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez dropping public hints that he would be keen to move to Madrid, fuelling speculation that the Argentine midfielder, signed for a British-record £107 million just three years ago, is already mentally packing his bags.

Where did things go wrong for Chelsea?

Enzo Maresca's exit

Enzo Maresca

One thing both players seem to agree on is the mid-season sacking of Enzo Maresca.

Cucurella directly opposed the club's decision to dismiss Maresca: "With Enzo Maresca in charge, we were more stable, because we worked together for 18 months. In our last months with Maresca, we played almost by heart. If we changed the system, we knew what we had to do."

He compared the club to their arch rivals, Arsenal: "Look at Arsenal now, who are fighting for every trophy. They've been with Arteta for almost seven years and have not won much. But that trust in the project gives rewards."

It has been rumoured that Fernandez was also deeply disappointed by the decision to dismiss Maresca. The departure of a manager the players believed in, replaced mid-season by someone still trying to implement a new system under intense pressure, has fractured the group's sense of direction.

The PSG defeat

PSG

Following an 8-2 aggregate loss, Cucurella noted that the players failed to maintain composure during the first leg, arguing the team lacked the necessary maturity to manage the game after falling behind.

"We lacked experience. For a lot of players, it was the first time playing a match of that calibre, and we paid the price. You can always make a mistake, but we should have handled it better," Cucurella said bluntly.

This is a direct indictment of Chelsea's transfer model. The club has spent lavishly, recklessly, some would argue, but almost entirely on youth and potential.

What's next for Chelsea?

Chelsea vs Arsenal

The real danger now is a domino effect. With Enzo Fernandez openly flirting with an exit and Cole Palmer looking more disgruntled than ever, the whole project feels like it's in critical condition even before any failure to qualify for the Champions League is confirmed.

Cucurella will have two years remaining on his contract this summer, the point at which Chelsea is typically motivated to either extend or sell. He has now made it pretty clear he'd think twice about renewing his deal, given he's entering his prime and will want to be competing for top trophies.

When asked directly about a return to Barcelona, Cucurella did not dismiss it: "It's clear that if those situations arose, they're difficult to refuse. I'd have to consider it and talk to my family." For a player once seen as a committed long-term piece of the project, those are words that should terrify the Stamford Bridge boardroom.

Meanwhile, Fernandez, the club's record signing, is making no secret of his desire for a new challenge, with significant rumours already linking him to a summer exit as he grows frustrated by the club's lack of progress.

It remains to be seen if the team will be able to retain the top players in the summer 2026 transfer window as it gradually approaches.

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