Chelsea delete nine players who cost £200m from their official website despite them still being at the club

Chelsea have banished NINE players from the club website as the club makes a clear statement regarding their future.

In recent years, it's been no secret that Chelsea have been extremely busy in the transfer markets, signing players from across the world for an stunning amount of money.

Despite manager Enzo Maresca expressing frustration at the size of the club's squad ahead of his first season last summer, the Blues have continued to be active in the market, signing several players in recent weeks.

On Sunday, young defender Jorrel Hato became the latest player to move to Stamford Bridge, becoming the 39th signing in four years as he joined from Ajax for an initial fee of £35.5million plus add-ons.

However, in order to make way for the 19-year-old and other players who have recently joined, it appears Chelsea are preparing to part ways with several members of the squad who have been axed from the club website.

Raheem Sterling is one of nine Chelsea players who has been removed from the club website. (Image: Getty)

After a recent update, England international Raheem Sterling is just one of the players who does not even have a profile or photo included the first-team section of Chelsea's official club website.

The former Liverpool and Manchester City star player signed for Chelsea in July 2022, penning a five-year contract for a fee of £47.5 million.

But things haven't quite worked out for the 30-year-old, leading to him spending last season on loan with London rivals Arsenal after Maresca made it clear that he did not plan to have Sterling as a regular part of his squad.

Ben Chilwell, who also spent last season on loan, is another player that appears to have been banished from Chelsea's first team.

Ahead of their expected sale to Burnley this summer striker Armando Broja and midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu also do not appear on the website, alongside academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist.

Following a loan with Crystal Palace, Ben Chilwell has also been removed from the Chelsea website. (Image: Getty)

In fact, apart from Broja and Gilchrist, the other seven players missing from the club website cost Chelsea a combined total of more than £200m.

The other names missing from the first-team section of Chelsea's website are Axel Disasi, Carney Chuwuemeka, Renato Veiga and David Datro Fofana.

Interestingly, Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who is currently facing a ban of up to a four years after being charged by the Football Association with doping offences, does still have a place on the website, with his profile picture showing him in last season's kit.