Chelsea risk losing several top youngsters unless the club is soon sold.

The Sun says manager Thomas Tuchel is not only concerned about the effects on the first team but right down the pyramid at Stamford Bridge.

England Under-17 World Cup winner George McEachran, 21, is a budding talent whose contract is about to expire having been at Chelsea since the age of eight.

Teenage midfielder Xavier Simons, 19, is one of the most highly-rated in the U23 squad and is also due to hold contract talks soon.

A Blues insider said: “Everyone is focussed on the players in the first team who are out of contract but the ones we feel really sorry for are the youngsters.

“Now is the time when the boys start talking about new contracts with the club and everyone is in the dark.

“They are the ones coming through and if Chelsea are not allowed to sign new contracts with them it’s a huge blow to both parties.”

Forward Thierno Ballo (20), defensive pair Sam McLelland (20) and Josh Brooking (19) and midfielder Dion Rankine’s (19) contracts all expire in the summer.