Chelsea only have 11 players headed off to this summer's World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
This is itself is not ground-breaking news, but when considering the size of Chelsea's first-team squad, and the benefits that new manager Xabi Alonso will find in working with much of his outfit from the get-go, we begin to see a real chance for the Blues to bounce back after a tough year.
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Chelsea finished ninth in the Premier League this season, with Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior both sacked in 2026. It's clear that the BlueCo project needs something of a reset, and Alonso could help enact positive change, assuming far more responsibility than his predecessors.
However, he has a number of problems to juggle from the start, with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez angling for the Stamford Bridge exit.
Chelsea in talks to sign Premier League star
Cucurella and Fernandez are both competing over the pond this summer, so their respective situations may take a little while to reach resolutions.
Still, it's clear that the 25-year-old wants to leave. Real Madrid are long-time admirers, but no formal approach has been made yet, say Spanish sources.
However, BlueCo are already preparing for his departure, with TEAMtalk confirming that Chelsea are among the outfits in talks with the representatives of West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who has been valued at £80m by the relegated Hammers.
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Manchester United believe they have the edge in the race, but how this one will pan out is anyone's guess right now, especially if Chelsea do end up selling Fernandez to a suitor such as Real Madrid.
Why Fernandes can replace Fernandez at Chelsea
Fernandes is only 22 years old, and as West Ham collapsed and fell into the Championship, so did the Portuguese talent suffer his second successive relegation from the Premier League.
And yet, he is one of the most exciting midfielders in Europe, someone who has a real chance to cement a place at the top. Incisive and penetrative with his passing, combative when defending, cultured when making decisions, the Iberian is the complete package, already considered a "superstar" by football writer Joost van der Leij.
It should go without saying that Fernandes is not on the same level as the Argenine, who is one of the most talented midfielders in the world and joined Chelsea for a staggering £111m fee.
But he does have the potential to develop into a leading man at Stamford Bridge, already considered something of a "superstar" for West Ham by football writer Joost van der Leij.
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In fact, Fernandes packs more of a defensive punch than the Chelsea skipper. He is more athletic and mobile across the midfield, and pulled away from the constaints of a relegation dogfight, may well find himself able to showcase his range of passing.
Premier League Comparison (2025/26)
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When without the ball, which has been often for the Irons this season, Fernandes has impressed with the volume of his defensive contributions. This is evident when comparing him with Fernandez, almost doubling his counterpart's output.
For a young and embattled midfielder to have won 55% of his duels across a Premier League season is quite a thing. He would reinforce Chelsea's midfield and combine seamlessly with Moises Caicedo, already trumping Fernandez in that regard.
West-Ham-Mateus-Fernandes
Described as a "special talent" by West Ham analysts, Fernandes wouldn't be the first Hammers midfielder to join a London rival for a big fee in recent years - and perhaps the sense at Stamford Bridge is that he could emulate the impact of Arsenal superstar Declan Rice.
In any case, Chelsea would need such a profile if Fernandez is sold to an outfit such as Real Madrid, and though that would be a poignant day for the west Londoners, his near namesake would provide Alonso with a dream replacement, someone who could spearhead a title-winning era.
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Chelsea are ready to add a new number nine to front Alonso's system.