Chelsea mutually agree to terminate 29-year-old’s contract – next club revealed

Chelsea have confirmed the departure of Baba Rahman, with the 29-year-old‘s next move set to be already agreed.

Rahman’s contract was due to expire in 2024, however after a mutual agreement to release the left-back, he will be available on a free transfer this summer instead.

The Ghanaian has spent the last 18 months on loan at Reading and is coming off the back of a disappointing relegation to League One with the Royals.

Rahman joined Chelsea from FC Augsburg in 2015 following a successful season in Germany.

Having secured the Premier League title in the 2014/15 season, the Blues turned to Rahman to help bolster their chances of retaining their status as England’s top club.

However, after a dismal defence of their title finishing in 10th place the following season, the left-back never really settled in west London, making just 15 league appearances for the Premier League side.

Since then, Rahman has been forced to endure an astonishing number of loans away from the club during his Chelsea tenure.

Since his arrival at Stamford Bridge, the Ghanaian has carried out seven loan spells in eight years with moves to the aforementioned Reading as well as Schalke and PAOK, just to name a few.

And following his permanent departure from Stamford Bridge, the latter of those clubs is said to be close to luring Rahman back for a second spell.

The 29-year-old played 17 times for PAOK in the 2020-21 season scoring one goal for the club.

The Athletic report that PAOK had shown interest in the defender and Nizaar Kinsella confirmed that a move was in the advanced stages. Fabrizio Romano adds Rahman is set to re-sign as a free agent on a two-year deal until June 2025.

Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard has also revealed that ‘Chelsea could earn money if Baba is successful at PAOK, with payments due if the Greeks qualify for any European competition’.

And should the move come to fruition, Rahman will be hoping to tie down a far more consistent role at his new club having endured an unsettled and injury-hit term at Chelsea for the past eight years.