Chelsea could lose these six players at the end of the season

The sections placed on Chelsea will affect not just their first-team players but their players in the academy.

The recent report has revealed that the Blues are faced with the prospect of losing some of their academy starlets on a free transfer at the end of the season.

According to the details of the UK government sanction on the Blues, they are currently unable to offer contracts to players due to the terms of their special operating license.

The UK Sun reported that six academy youngsters could leave at the end of this season due to the restrictions imposed on the club.

One of them is the highly-rated 19-year-old midfielder Xavier Simons, who was handed a start by Thomas Tuchel in the Blues 2-0 win over Brentford in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup in December.

Simons also made it to the matchday squad for their third-round FA Cup tie with Chesterfield a month later.

Others are England U-17 World Cup winner George McEachran, who has been at Chelsea since eight.

Forward Thierno Ballo, midfielder Dion Rankine and defenders Sam McLelland and Josh Brooking will also be free agents at the end of the season.