Chelsea are preparing to hand numerous academy players a great opportunity this week as the Blues make the 7000-mile round trip to Kazakhstan.
The west Londoners take on Astana in their fifth UEFA Conference League league phase match and given they are on maximum points after four games, Chelsea are looking to rest some of their key first-team players on Thursday. **football.london** understands [Chelsea](https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc) always planned to give an opportunity to some of the club's finest academy talent in Kazakhstan, and given the situation they are in, at the top of the new-look Conference League table, there is a feeling that this is the ideal chance to do just that.
Kaiden Wilson, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Tyrique George, Kiano Dyer, Harrison McMahon, Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Ato Ampah, Max Merrick, Josh Acheampong, Shim Mheuka and Richard Olise were all added to the Conference League squad following the 2-0 win away at Heidenheim a couple of weeks ago. Acheampong, Dyer, George, McMahon and Merrick have all been in the squad since the start of the competition.
Rak-Sakyi has featured against Noah and Heidenheim from the bench and could be given another opportunity to impress against Astana. Meanwhile, for the likes of Ampah, Olise, Wilson and Murray-Campbell, this game could be a chance for a potential senior debut. Likewise, Dyer and Mheuka, who have both been in the matchday squad before, could also get a run-out on the pitch for the first time professionally.
However, nothing is confirmed just yet regarding who is travelling all the way to the city of Almaty in Kazakhstan. The fact, though, that there are 11 academy players included on the squad list just reiterates the impact of the Conference League on the club; giving young players a chance they perhaps would not get otherwise.
We should hear more from [Enzo Maresca](https://www.football.london/all-about/enzo-maresca) regarding who is travelling to Kazakhstan this morning (Wednesday). The Chelsea head coach will take his pre-Astana press conference at Cobham at the earlier time of 8:30am GMT.