Deco Ok, so perhaps calling the departure of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti on free transfers, and the sale of Mirolsav Stoch, an ‘exodous’ is pushing it a bit far. But now – four weeks after those exits were announced – news of probably departures still outweighs any rumoured purchases at the Stamford Bridge club.

Sky Sports are just one of many outlets to write-up the expected transfer of Deco to Fluminense. Slightly more surprising are rumours that Ricardo Carvalho will be sold to Inter (who he supposedly came close to joining last summer), and thechelseablog.org’s contention that even John Terry might be up for sale.

Many Chelsea fans, including those who are ‘fans’ of this blog over on facebook, are starting to get concerned at the lack of transfer activity.

It is certainly too early to be concerned in my view, and on the whole it looks like a concerted effort from the club to bring down both the average age of the squad and it’s preposterously high wage bill. Better late than never...

Miroslav Stoch After all, assuming those players rumoured to be leaving actually do end up elsewhere, the average age of departed players would be well over 29, and the wages saved almost certainly in excess of half a million pounds a week (or £27,300,000 a year). No small sum of cash.

Of course this is all speculation – whilst I’m certain Deco will leave, Carvalho exiting seems possible, but not certain. John Terry leaving might be well received in some quarters (not sure I’d be too bothered, to be honest), but it just won’t happen.

One thing is clear however – Chelsea are clearing the way for something. Whether that something is one or two choice, top-class signings, or the stream of 4-5 talented youth players coming through the ranks, is yet to be seen…