Chelsea Defensive Departures Loom as Pre-Season Shirt Numbers Shift
Chelsea’s final pre-season outing delivered more than a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. It offered a glimpse of a new hierarchy inside the dressing room – and a strong hint that two senior defenders are heading for the exit.
Joao Pedro’s sharp brace and a debut goal from £116million signing Morgan Rogers wrapped up a confident victory at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Enzo Fernandez returned from the bench, took the captain’s armband from Reece James and drew a mixed response from the home crowd as he did so. The football was lively. The subplots were louder.
Because while the goals flowed, the shirt numbers told their own story.
Maxence Lacroix, making his first appearance since arriving in west London, ran out wearing No5. That number currently belongs to Benoit Badiashile. On the left, fellow summer recruit Pep Chavarria appeared in No29 – the shirt Wesley Fofana has worn in recent seasons.
Fofana, still working his way back from long-term injury, has not lost his number. Badiashile, though, was nowhere to be seen. The French centre-back has been edging towards the door all summer and now looks closer than ever to a move, with Chelsea having agreed a loan with Napoli that includes an option to buy at the end of the season.
Reshuffle
The reshuffle did not stop there.
Lacroix’s fellow defender Valentin Barco, an unused substitute on the night, was listed as No4. That is the shirt Tosin Adarabioyo has worn throughout pre-season. Tosin was also absent from the matchday squad and is among those Chelsea are prepared to move on before the transfer window closes.
Interest is growing. Benfica and several other top-flight clubs are monitoring the former Fulham defender, and Chelsea are open to a deal.
The number trail is clear: No5 on Lacroix, No4 on Barco, No29 on Chavarria, No3 on Fofana after Marc Cucurella’s departure to Real Madrid. Badiashile and Tosin, the men who once anchored those digits, left out entirely.
Official Statement
Inside the club, the message remains more cautious. At the start of the month, Chelsea used their official channels to stress that pre-season shirts should not be treated as final.
“Supporters should note that during pre-season, the shirt numbers worn by all players may not be representative of their finalised squad numbers for the 2026/27 campaign,” read the statement. “Further detail on this will be provided in due course.”
Technically, then, Badiashile and Tosin have not been stripped of anything. Officially, their numbers stand. On the pitch, the reality looks very different.
For Chelsea, this is what a rebuild in motion looks like: new signings being eased into familiar, senior numbers while established names are eased out of the picture. The result against Real Sociedad will fade quickly. The image of Lacroix in No5 and Barco in No4 may linger far longer, especially if both current holders are playing their football elsewhere by the time the season kicks off.
