Everton dubbed ‘reverse Chelsea’ with only 12 players including flop striker contracted beyond this season

EVERTON have been dubbed the “reverse Chelsea” due to the club’s worrying contract situation.

The Toffees only have TWELVE players in their 24-man squad who are contracted past the end of the season.

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Ashley Young is one of 12 players who could leave Everton at the end of the season[/caption]

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Michael Keane’s contract is also expiring[/caption]

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin could depart on a free transfer[/caption]

That means the Everton could lose star players such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Michael Keane for nothing next summer.

Veteran stars such as Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are also in the final year of their contracts at Goodison.

While four stars, Jack Harrison, Armando Broja, Jesper Lindstrom and Orel Mangala, are with Sean Dyche’s side on loan.

Everton do have the option to make both Broja and Lindstrom permanent deals at the end of the season.

By comparison, SunSport revealed this week how Chelsea have TWENTY-ONE players contracted into the 2030s.

And fans were amazed by the difference.

One fan posted: “The reverse Chelsea.

A second wrote: “Wonder how many of them [the 12 under contract] have relegation clauses.”

A third commented: “Chelsea’s got 27 they can borrow.”

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A fourth said: “The anti-Chelsea.”

A fifth joked: “It’s fine. You can only play with 11 players anyway.”

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Jake O’Brien signed a four-year deal with Everton in the summer[/caption]

Another added: “Tbf if you had to choose 12 players to keep out of this Everton squad, it would look like this for the most part.”

Chelsea have only one star, young goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom, whose contract expires at the end of the season.

While Enzo Maresca‘s side have star men such as Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez tied down until 2033 and 2032, respectively.

Ben Chilwell is the only big name that the club could lose on a free transfer, should his contract not be renewed by June 2027.

Everton do have some key players tied down to longer deals, including Jordan Pickford and summer signings Jake O’Brien and Iliman Ndiaye.

But, with Everton in relegation trouble this season, all three could be looking to move on should the club drop down to the Championship.

That could leave the already cash-strapped Toffees needing to build an entirely new squad in the second tier.