Enzo Maresca has inherited a squad full of young talent, and the Chelsea manager’s toughest task in the upcoming campaign may be finding a way to cram so much star quality into one starting eleven.
The Blues have already plugged several holes in their squad whilst also offloading the likes of Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall (loan-to-buy deal agreed last summer) to ensure that they do not encounter any PSR issues further down the line.
Chelsea have been one of the busiest clubs in the transfer windows as well, though despite having so many players, Maresca may not struggle to name his 25-man Premier League squad. With a strong English core in the dressing room, meeting the threshold of eight homegrown players will not be an issue for the ex-Leicester boss.
He also has a handful of players who are Under-21 (born on or after January 1, 2003) who do not count towards the total tally of 25. Express Sport takes a look at how Chelsea’s squad could look, with those in italics fulfilling the aforementioned requirement …
Related articles
Goalkeepers: GIORGI MAMARDASHVILI, Djordje Petrovic, Robert Sanchez, Marcus Bettelinelli
Chelsea are in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, and they must not overthink another signing between the sticks. Valencia’s Mamardashvili is reportedly available for a fee in the region of £34million and he would be an immediate improvement on their current options, with his Euro 2024 campaign with Georgia showing what he is capable of.
Defenders: Reece James, Wesley Fofana, MURILLO, Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Ben Chilwell, Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, Renato Veiga
Following the arrival of Adarabioyo as a free agent, Chelsea look well-stocked defensively. However, with Trevoh Chalobah likely to be offloaded as he represents ‘pure profit’ on their balance sheets, the Blues could push on with their pursuit of Nottingham Forest’s Murrillo. The Brazilian was linked with countless clubs earlier this summer but speculation around his future has gone quiet, which could give Chelsea the ideal opportunity to strike an agreement without the risk of a bidding war.
Midfielders: Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Conor Gallagher, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Romeo Lavia, Carney Chukwuemeka
Gallagher’s future remains unknown at Chelsea, but he remains a leader in the dressing room and could play his way into Maresca’s plans. Dewsbury-Hall’s arrival from Leicester City in a deal worth £30m will also add a spark in those central areas, and Lavia will feel like a new signing given that he spent last season injured.
Forwards: Mykhaylo Mudryk, Raheem Sterling, Nicolas Jackson, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku, Cole Palmer, INAKI WILLIAMS, VICTOR OSIMHEN, Marc Guiu, Omari Kellyman
Chelsea’s attacking ranks are where work needs to be done before the transfer window closes. Spain international Williams is one of the most sought-after stars in Europe after his stellar Euro 2024 tournament, and the Blues may decide that the immense benefits of acquiring his services from Athletic Bilbao justify meeting his significant wage demands.
Similarly, the Stamford Bridge outfit could take the leap of faith in trying to strike a player-plus-cash swap deal for Osimhen. Napoli are keen to acquire the services of Romelu Lukaku and the Belgian international is, therefore, the ideal makeweight in negotiations and could see the Serie A side drop their £110m price tag.
Express Sport’s full squad: Petrovic, Mamardashvili, Sanchez*, Bettelinelli*, James*, Fofana, Murillo, Badiashile, Disasi, Adarabioyo*, Chilwell*, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Gallagher*, Dewsbury-Hall*, Mudryk, Sterling*, Jackson, Madueke*, Nkunku, Palmer*, Williams, Osimhen
* - represents homegrown
Under-21: Colwill, Lavia, Chukwuemeka, Gusto, Veiga, Guiu, Kellyman
