Wednesday, June 10, 2026
av1tvnews@gmail.com
Sports

Chelsea Confirm Departure of Four Players as Contracts Expire

Blues release retained and released list, with four Academy graduates set to leave Stamford Bridge this month.

Telling African Stories One Voice at a time!

Chelsea Football Club have confirmed that four players will leave the club when their contracts expire on 30 June 2026.

The announcement was made on Wednesday through a statement released by the club following the publication of its retained and released list for the end of the 2025/26 season.

Among those departing is defender Brodi Hughes, who spent 13 years at Chelsea after joining the club as an Under-8 player.

Hughes progressed through the Academy ranks at Cobham and spent the 2025/26 season on loan at League One side AFC Wimbledon. Chelsea thanked him for his years of service and contribution to the club.

Richard Olise will also leave Stamford Bridge after a decade with the Blues.

Olise joined Chelsea as an Under-9 and represented the club at several youth levels. He was also included in the first-team squad for the UEFA Conference League trip to Astana during the 2024/25 campaign.

Midfielder Sam Rak-Sakyi is another player set to depart.

Rak-Sakyi joined Chelsea’s Academy at the age of eight and developed through the club’s youth system. He made four first-team appearances, all coming during the 2024/25 season.

His senior debut came in the UEFA Conference League against Noah, and he went on to feature three more times in the competition. He also represented England at youth level during his development.

Jimi Tauriainen completes the list of departing players.

The midfielder joined Chelsea in 2020 and earned recognition after being named among the substitutes for the 2024 Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.

Tauriainen later made his first-team debut in an FA Cup fifth-round match against Leeds United before making his Premier League debut against Tottenham Hotspur later that season.

While four players are leaving permanently, striker Ronnie Stutter will remain at the club on a month-to-month contract arrangement.

Chelsea expressed appreciation to all departing players for their commitment and contributions during their time at the club and wished them success in the next stages of their careers.

Telling African Stories One Voice at a time!
Victoria Emeto
the authorVictoria Emeto
A bright and self-driven graduate trainee at AV1 News, she brings fresh energy and curiosity to her role. With a strong academic background in Mass Communication, she has a solid foundation in storytelling, audience engagement, and media ethics. Her passion lies in the evolving media landscape, particularly how emerging technologies are reshaping content creation and distribution. She is already carving a niche for herself as a skilled journalist, honing her reporting, writing, and research abilities through hands-on experience. She actively explores the intersection of digital innovation and traditional journalism.

Leave a Reply