Chelsea is facing the prospect of losing some of their academy starlets – including highly rated Xavier Simons – on free transfers.
This is due to the sanctions imposed by the UK government.
The Blues are currently unable to offer contracts to players due to the terms of their special operating license.
The UK Sun reports that six academy youngsters could leave at the end of this season as a result of the restrictions imposed on the club.
One of them is 19-year-old midfielder Simons, who is very highly rated by Chelsea and captained the U-23 team in the UEFA Youth League.
He was handed a start by Thomas Tuchel in a 2-0 win over Brentford in the quarter-final of the Carabao Cup in December. Simons was also part of the matchday squad for their third-round FA Cup tie with Chesterfield a month later.
England U-17 World Cup winner George McEachran, who has been at Chelsea since the age of eight, is also in the final months of his contract.
Forward Thierno Ballo, midfielder Dion Rankine and defenders Sam McLelland and Josh Brooking will also free agents at the end of the campaign.
