By RYAN WALKER
Published: 19:56 EST, 11 December 2024 | Updated: 19:56 EST, 11 December 2024
Enzo Maresca has taken a total of 12 Chelsea youngsters with him as part of his travelling squad for the club's 7000-mile round trip to face Astana in Kazakhstan on Thursday.
The Blues are in control of their UEFA Conference League progression having won four out of four games in the third-tier European competition and are now set to give several youngsters their senior debuts.
It remains to be seen who will make Maresca’s starting line-up in the city of Almaty, where it is forecasted to reach as low as minus 11 on the day, but a combination of multiple youngsters and senior players is expected.
Chelsea have now touched down in Kazakhstan following a 10hr flight that has seen 12 academy stars travel with the senior team as the Blues look to maintain their 100 per cent winning start in the competition.
Harrison Murray-Campbell, Kaiden Wilson, Tyrique George, Kiano Dyer, Harrison McMahon, Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Ato Ampah, Max Merrick, Lucas Bergstrom, Josh Acheampong, Shumaira Mheuka and Richard Olise - brother of Bayern Munich star Michael Olise - were the youngssters that made the trip.
Summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is one of only two senior midfielders to travel as he targets more starting opportunities, while Pedro Neto is expected to lead Chelsea's attack.
Enzo Maresca has taken a total of 12 Chelsea youngsters as part of his travelling squad for the club's 7000-mile round trip to face Astana in Kazakhstan
Rising star Josh Acheampong, the academy star who has been involved in a contract wrangle,is amongst those who have travelled
Meanwhile, 18-year-old Acheampong is one of those set for his first senior start after positive progress was made in his contract stand-off which previously saw the 18-year-old frozen out.
Maresca heaped praise on Acheampong ahead of the overseas trip, stating in his pre-match press conference: 'We all love Josh, the club loves Josh, I love Josh and we are trying to find an agreement.
'We are close, we are almost there. He is in the squad and is probably going to play from the start.’ On whether there will be debutants, Maresca added: 'Probably, yes.’
Chelsea players touched down in sub-zero temperatures for the European contest
Kiano Dyer could make his Chelsea debut in Kazakhstan
Shumaira Mheuka is also eying a first start for the club
Dyer and Mheuka are also in-line for potential debuts after being named in the squad that will mean they miss Chelsea Under 18s’ FA Youth Cup clash with Leicester.
Noni Madueke is amongst the senior players that have remained back in England ahead of the weekend's Premier League contest against Brentford, while Cole Palmer wasn't named in Maresca's squad for the first phase of the competition.
When Chelsea first started in the competition, only five youth players were named in the squad, those being: Acheampong, Dyer, George, McMahon and Merrick.
Chelsea are allowed to add an unlimited number of youngsters to their squad's 'B list' whenever they wish and they have made additions as the league phase progressed, with 19-year-old Rak-Sakyi coming off the bench in their Conference League wins over Noah and Heidenheim last month.