Chelsea are set for a massive clearout in the summer - under the guidance of current coach Avram Grant.
Andriy Shevchenko, Claudio Pizarro, Steve Sidwell and Tal Ben-Haim will be put up for sale, with the futures of more established players such as Florent Malouda, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Carlo Cudicini and Juliano Belletti uncertain. With Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge unsettled, the number of departures could reach double figures.
Abramovich would like to give Grant at least one full season to prove his worth, partially in the hope that it would justify his controversial decision to dismiss Jose Mourinho in September, but the owner's reaction will be governed by results.