Chelsea leave three players without squad numbers... that cost a combined 100 million!

In the last few transfer windows, Chelsea have undergone a significant face lift in terms of players brought in. The likes of Ziyech, Havertz, Lukaku and co. have raised the level and cost of the squad which, at the same time, also has to alleviate some weight financially and leave space for new additions.

For that reason, 'The Athletic' inform that the Blues have leave three players without a shirt number, whose total cost comes to nearly 100 million euros. They are Tiemoue Bakayoko, Danny Drinkwater and Ross Barkley.

In 2017, Chelsea paid Monaco 45 million for Bakayoko in the same season in which Kylian Mbappe burst onto the scene at the Principality side. That same summer, Drinkwater arrived from recent Premier League winners Leicester for a price of 37.9 million.

The following season Ross Barkley became a Blue, and inherited the infamous number 8 shirt from club legend Frank Lampard. The club paid 16.8 million to Everton for a player that, just like the other two cases, possessed the quality but never really got going.

Now, Chelsea are leaving them without a spot in the team in an attempt to show them the door. They will try and recuperate the highest amount possible from their misplaced 100-million-euro investment, although that won't come easy in today's COVID-hit market.