Chelsea will look to raise over £200million in player sales as they enter the final phase of another extraordinary window that has seen rivals question how they can continue to spend so lavishly without reprisals.
The £54million signing of Pedro Neto from Wolves this weekend was their 12th of the summer but won't be their last. Indeed, Atletico Madrid's burly striker Samu Omorodion should have been next through the Stamford Bridge revolving door only for negotiations to collapse on Sunday evening. Attention has switched to a familiar face in Atletico's Joao Felix, one of several options under consideration, and they still want a centre forward such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen before the deadline of August 30.
It's easy to see how Chelsea have spent £1.5billion in the Todd Boehly era.
So how many players do they need? Under Graham Potter, there were so many players they had to change in the corridor. Now there are over 50 registered in the squad and coach Enzo Maresca likes to work with a group of 25, so there's plenty of negotiating to do.
Chelsea are looking to raise £200million in player sales before the end of the transfer window
The London club completed a £54m deal to sign Pedro Neto from Wolves over the weekend
With the Portuguese forward's deal now complete, Chelsea's summer spending has now gone up to a whopping £199m
For all the finger pointing though, Chelsea insist they are compliant within Profit and Sustainability Rules for 23/24 and remain on target for 24/25. There are no internal concerns about whether they can stay within the limits, hence what they consider a feasible mission to raise £200m.
One tiptoe in that direction was taken yesterday as Diego Moreira, a free agent signing from Benfica, was sold to sister club Strasbourg for £1.7m.
Romelu Lukaku, who wants to join Napoli, Trevoh Chalobah, an option for Crystal Palace, and Armando Broja, who is on Stuttgart's wishlist and admired by Wolves, have been training with the club's development squad and are expected to follow suit for around £70million.
The 'bomb squad' banishment had also been relayed to Conor Gallagher before he accepted his £35m move to Atletico Madrid but, while that deal has been in place since last week, it now hinges on Atletico selling. Tensions are high after the breakdown of Omorodion's transfer, the 20-year-old remains an option for West Ham, Bournemouth and Wolves after all, but Joao Felix has shown a willingness to drop his wage demands to at least help facilitate his part of the bargain.
But it easy to see how the west London club have spent £1.5billion in the Todd Boehly era
Samu Omorodion should have been next through the door only for his transfer to collapse
Chelsea's attention seems to have now switched to Atletico Madrid star and former loan player Joao Felix
Diego Moreira, a free agent signing from Benfica, has been sold to Strasbourg for £1.7m
Romelu Lukaku, who wants to join Napoli, could be another player set to leave the club this summer
Trevoh Chalobah is also seen as an option for Crystal Palace, with the defender's contract set to expire in 2028
Armando Broja is also on the wishlist for Fulham, having spent last season on loan with the Blues' west London rivals
Wages are key for Chelsea in their book-keeping. Boehly and Clearlake inherited a squad with an average wage pushing around £200,000 per week but now contracts are heavily incentivised with their basic salary under last season's Premier League average of £70,000 a week. Bonuses are huge, commensurate with elite clubs, but Chelsea have to win trophies and qualify for the Champions League for those figures to be triggered.
Should Felix sign, question marks will be raised around Raheem Sterling's role under Maresca. Earning around £300,000 a week, it is understandable why he could be another sale to consider but, despite a tentative enquiry from Juventus, Chelsea have no active plans to sell while the 29-year-old is understood to be ready to once again prove his worth.
Ben Chilwell's situation may prove different, however. The England left-back is firmly on the periphery of Maresca's plans so far and may not make their Premier League squad.
Newcastle United are monitoring winger Noni Madueke, while another Palace target, Carney Chukwuemeka could go for £30m. Leicester City are keen on David Fofana, Cesare Casadei is attracting enquiries and defender Bashir Humphreys is wanted by Leeds United and Burnley.
Newcastle United are monitoring the situation of Chelsea winger Noni Madueke
Meanwhile, another Palace target Carney Chukwuemeka could be sold for around £30m
Conor Gallagher's £35m move to Atletico Madrid now also hinges on the LaLiga club selling
Chelsea insist they are compliant within Profit and Sustainability Rules for 23/24 and remain on target for 24/25
Having made 11 summer signings with an average age of under 21, spending £185m since June, Boehly has maintained the owners' vision is about investment with re-sale value, not just stockpiling talent. The next 18 days could prove an acid test of that ethos.
Pressed about Chelsea's predicament last week, Maresca said: 'This is not just Chelsea's problem, these are the rules. It's all of the Premier League clubs' problems.'