This is an attempt to put together a projected Chelsea squad for the 2025/26 campaign based on current rumours and updates as the team begins pre-season in a few short days. Things can change in the blink of an eye in the world of football, so check out what has changed regarding the club’s squad makeup since our last attempt.
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Projected Chelsea Squad for 2025/26 Season (August 4 Update)
Goalkeepers
There’s been no change in this position since we last covered it. While one or two deals became official they were already in the pipeline. This leaves the Blues with the same three options for the shot-stopper rotation between the sticks.
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Gaga Slonina has no real rumours spreading about him right now and the top two from last season appear to be settled. That means the goalkeeping options remain:
Robert Sanchez
Filip Jorgensen
Gaga Slonina
Defenders
Since the last time this was done, Mamadou Sarr left on loan to return to Strasbourg. The young defender was brought with the squad for the Club World Cup and initally looked to be an emergency option at the back but he has now been sent to develop for another year in Ligue 1.
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The big change here is the announced signing of Jorrel Hato. Brought in due to his versatility, the teenager played as both a left-back and centre-back for Ajax across his two terms as a first-team player. He will likely provide cover for two positions in Chelsea’s back line.
There was a sweeping update from Ben Jacobs that reiterated the futures of Axel Disasi, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, and even Alfie Gilchrist are away from the team. There’s no word on youngster Aaron Anselmino departing which could mean he’s here to stay.
These updates mean the defensive core for the upcoming campaign appears to be:
Marc Cucurella
Levi Colwill
Benoit Badiashile
Aaron Anselmino
Jorrel Hato
Tosin Adarabioyo
Wesley Fofana
Trevoh Chalobah
Reece James
Malo Gusto
Moises Caicedo (emergency option)
Midfield
All has been settled in the centre of the park. There were brief ties to a move away for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall but they have quieted. Otherwise, the midfield positions look the same, having undergone the earliest changes with Andrey Santos and Dario Essugo coming in ahead of the Club World Cup to bed themselves in.
The central/defensive midfield optios in our projected Chelsea squad are:
Moises Caicedo
Romeo Lavia
Enzo Fernandez
Andrey Santos
Dario Essugo
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Reece James (emergency option)
Attackers
The area of the field likely to undergo the most change for the Blues is the attacking group. There’s links to some signings and links to some departures with nothing fully settled as of now.
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There have been some moves as Marc Guiu, Joao Felix, and Armando Broja all faced the exit door. Tyrique George and Raheem Sterling are expected to be the next to leave per Fabrizio Romano.
Romano also reports that Christopher Nkunku plans to leave while Nicolas Jackson is available for the right price. With all the swirling rumours, it’s unlikely that both will remain with the squad for the coming season with Nkunku more likely to depart.
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On the other side, Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho’s links refuse to go away with Romano once again indicating that the Blues want both. Simons has been pushing for the move on social media and the links to Garnacho refuse to go away so we assume both will get over the line.
With all that out of the way, this is the projected attacking core for the new season:
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
Joao Pedro
Liam Delap
Cole Palmer
Pedro Neto
Estevao
Xavi Simons
Alejandro Garnacho
Enzo Fernandez (has been used as a 10 recently)
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (emergency winger option)
Nicolas Jackson (fee unlikely to be met)
Full Squad
Based on our positional analysis, the current projected Chelsea squad for next term is:
Rob Sanchez
Filip Jorgensen
Gaga Slonina
Marc Cucurella
Levi Colwill
Benoit Badiashile
Aaron Anselmino
Jorrel Hato
Tosin Adarabioyo
Wesley Fofana
Trevoh Chalobah
Reece James
Malo Gusto
Moises Caicedo
Romeo Lavia
Enzo Fernandez
Andrey Santos
Dario Essugo
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Jamie Bynoe-Gittens
Joao Pedro
Xavi Simons
Alejandro Garnacho
Liam Delap
Cole Palmer
Pedro Neto
Estevao
Nicolas Jackson