Chelsea had an excessive number of players in the squad last season, with regular training sessions featuring between 33 to 40 first-team stars. Not to mention the three additions during the winter transfer window, which couldn’t be included in their Champions League squad.
The bloated squad situation at Chelsea was revealed by veteran defender Thiago Silva during the latter stages of the previous season, when the club had to expand the size of the dressing room to accommodate all the players.
However, a significant clear-out has taken place this summer, with Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Christian Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, N’Golo Kante, and Cesar Azpilicueta all departing. It is expected that more stars will leave Stamford Bridge in the coming days.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino had the players training at Chelsea’s Cobham training center for about two weeks before departing for the United States to take part in the summer tour. Their first opponent is League Two newcomer Wrexham, and they will face each other at Kenan Stadium in North Carolina on Thursday.
Before their flight to the US, 5 Chelsea players were dropped from the squad. According to the Daily Mail, Hakim Ziyech, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Romelu Lukaku were left out due to not meeting the required standards. The other two players staying at Cobham are young talents Omari Hutchinson and Harvey Vale.
It’s understood that Pochettino has requested the transfer department to swiftly resolve the future of these three players, as they don’t fit into his plans. Marseille is interested in Aubameyang, who joined Chelsea last summer but only managed to score 1 goal in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Ziyech’s move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr fell through due to knee issues during his medical. As for Lukaku, both Al-Hilal and Juventus are showing interest.
Apart from the friendly against Wrexham, Chelsea will also face Brighton, Newcastle, Fulham, and Dortmund.
Visit Wiki Chelsea FC for the latest updates and information about The Blues.