The Chelsea squad are already three days into a break of less than two weeks. This period, coming immediately after the Conference League final, may well represent half of their total summer holiday.
After the season extended onto Poland for the 4-1 win over Real Betis, there is not long for the squad to recharge its batteries before going again. Chelsea will kick off their Club World Cup campaign in just over a fortnight in Atlanta.
The competition carries lucrative benefits for those looking at the finances but great disruption for Enzo Maresca, the staff, and the players. With transfers to be done prior to the competition starting and a lack of pre-season to follow, it takes up an unusual spot in the calendar.
It is between two seasons and connects them in a way unlike any other club summer has before. With plenty of ins and outs to follow, how do Chelsea and Maresca manager the situation.
Well, football.london has had a go at picking a group to travel to America for the glorified tournament. With FIFA confirming that clubs can submit a final list of no fewer than 26 players but a maximum of 35 (including three goalkeepers), and no rules with homegrown players or Under-21s, here is how Chelsea could go.
Goalkeepers
Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Mike Penders, Ted Curd
Chelsea have a lot of goalkeepers. It has not yet been ruled out that they might buy another this summer in a bid to find a proper first-choice. Robert Sanchez holds that position after Filip Jorgensen failed to truly push him close.
Djordje Petrovic, returning from RC Strasbourg, has a real chance to stake his claim if given a chance. He will be assessed by Chelsea over the summer. Mike Penders, also on this list, could get an early look in but is one for the future. The rest are academy options or coffee club leader and general smiley face around the place, Marcus Bettinelli.
Defenders
Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Josh Acheampong, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, Mamadou Sarr, Aaron Anselmino
The centre-back spots are a point of great competition for Chelsea and another is being pursued. The current group is strong and mainly healthy, although Wesley Fofana's fitness and readiness is uncertain.
He might benefit from having another month off and may well need it. If he is out then Mamadou Sarr could be looked at closely having agreed to join from Strasbourg over the winter. Aaron Anselmino could also travel having spent the second half of the season at Cobham.
A loan for the pair may well follow in 2025/26 but for now they make up the numbers here. Ishe Samuels-Smith is expected to be promoted into Maresca's senior squad next season and is natural cover on the left. The teenager is yet to play for Chelsea as he wasn't eligible for the Conference League but would get valuable experience here.
Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi are up for sale so it would make no sense for them to travel. Renato Veiga is not as certain to be finished at Chelsea yet but has been at Juventus for the past five months and does not appear to be in the immediate plans.
Trevoh Chalobah may well be fighting for his future at Chelsea despite impressing since being recalled from Crystal Palace. It is a good chance to get some more minutes into Josh Acheampong's legs as well. Might it also be the last seen of Benoit Badiashile?
Change at the back promises to follow the Club World Cup but it would be a surprise to see too much difference when the squad is named.
Midfielders
Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Dario Essugo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Romeo Lavia, Kiano Dyer, Reggie Walsh
In midifled and Chelsea have already strengthened their squad. Dario Essugo and Andrey Santos will come in and have a point to prove. They will act as cover, support, and competition to Enzo Fernandez, Romeo Lavia, and Moises Caicedo.
Andrey Santos celebrates scoring for Strasbourg
Andrey Santos celebrates (Image: Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images)
The pair are to of the most exciting additions and should add genuine reinforcement. They could replace Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who was heavily linked with a January exit and will surely attract interest over the coming months.
There are Cobham options to promote as well. Kiano Dyer and Reggie Walsh both played briefly in the Conference League and could be taken away for what would be great exposure. Dyer, though, has been included in the England Under-19s squad for the Euros later this summer. Sam Rak-Sakyi sees his contract expire at the end of June and is may leave.
Chelsea could choose to have a look at Southampton loanee Lesley Ugochukwu in the USA, but he faces a battle with Essugo and Santos to get into Maresca's thinking. Carney Chukwuemeka is further away after struggling with fitness problems again whilst at Borussia Dortmund.
Omari Kellyman has been plagued with injury issues himself and is not yet in contention to play for the senior team. Mathis Amougou has hardly been involved since his January arrival. A loan will probably follow in the summer.
Attackers
Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, Tyrique George, Jadon Sancho, Marc Guiu, Shumaira Mheuka
If there is a deal which is completed during the early June 1-10 transfer window then Liam Delap is going to be that man. He is set to arrive from Ipswich Town for £30million.
The hitch here is that he has England Under-21s commitments ahead of the European Championship next month. The overlap with the Club World Cup makes playing in both a challenge but not impossible. Chelsea have nothing to lose by naming him in the squad, especially with 35 spots open.
Liam Delap celebrates scoring for Ipswich Town against Chelsea back in December
Liam Delap celebrates scoring for Ipswich Town against Chelsea back in December (Image: GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
This list is most interesting for who doesn't make it. Joao Felix will return from loan at Milan but did not make it for Maresca prior to January so should not be reinstated here. Meanwhile, Armando Broja and David Datro Fofana must have their sights on finding new permanent homes and would be surprise inclusions. The same goes for Raheem Sterling.
Christopher Nkunku, unlike Felix, stayed at Stamford Bridge over the winter but his departure is on the cards. Chelsea and Nkunku are both happy to go their separate ways and he has not been playing even when fit recently. It makes little sense, therefore, to both taking him.
Mykhailo Mudryk would be included if he was not suspended. The results of his B-sample are still being awaited after the winger tested positive for having a banned substance in his system at the end of 2024.
Jadon Sancho can play for Chelsea in the group stage regardless of if his loan is extended into a permanent move from Manchester United for £25million. He will be in discussions with the club this week to decide what happens next but Sancho has been a happy figure for Chelsea and can easily be seen staying.
Chelsea are planning to buy another winger this window as well but, like the centre-backs, nothing is as close as Delap. They may also consider signing a second No.9 too. At this stage it doesn't seem as if they would be in position before the Club World Cup.
Academy forward Shumaira Mheuka, like Walsh and Dyer, would benefit from being around the first team environment during this period.
Dream Chelsea 35-man Club World Cup squad
Robert Sanchez, Filip Jorgensen, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic, Mike Penders, Ted Curd,Reece James, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, Josh Acheampong, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, Mamadou Sarr, Aaron Anselmino,Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Dario Essugo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Romeo Lavia, Kiano Dyer, Reggie Walsh,Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Pedro Neto, Tyrique George, Jadon Sancho, Marc Guiu, Shumaira Mheuka.
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Chelsea Conference League Champions