Chelsea will begin the new season with a spring in their step after winning the inaugural Club World Cup last month in emphatic style, while also bolstering their squad with a string of rising stars.
Enzo Maresca had a solid debut season in the Premier League, with the Blues finishing fourth – 15 points behind champions Liverpool but enough for a Champions League spot.
Fans will be hoping the team can carry the momentum of their triumph at the Club World Cup where they crushed European champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the final.
Chelsea were the last side other than City and Liverpool to lift the title back in 2017, and will be cautiously optimistic of the 2025-26 campaign.
Manager Maresca expressed confidence ahead of his second season at Stamford Bridge, having wrapped up preseason with a 4-1 victory over AC Milan.
New signings Joao Pedro and Liam Delap were both on the scoresheet against Milan, however centre back Levi Colwill suffered an ACL injury in training before that game which should keep the 22-year-old out for much of the new season.
Chelsea had also defeated Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in their opening preseason friendly.
“It's our second one (preseason game). But overall I'm very happy, and now we start the Premier League,” Maresca said.
“I'm confident in general and excited. We have another long season ahead and we are going to try to do our best.”
Chelsea are not done yet. They hope to sign winger Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United and RB Leipzig's Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons. PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma is also on their radar.
With big money already spent and more expensive purchases lined up, the Blues have raised about £200 million by selling players including goalkeepers Djordje Petrovic and Kepa Arrizabalaga, wingers Noni Madueke and Joao Felix, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and striker Armando Broja.
That has resulted in a noticeable change in the wage bill of Chelsea for the upcoming campaign.
Raheem Sterling, who spent last season on loan at Arsenal and is very much surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, remains top.
Below is the list of the highest earners at Stamford Bridge for 2025-26. Data collected through reports, capology.com and spotrac.com.
Top earners at Chelsea for 2025-26
1. Raheem Sterling – £325,000 per week
2. Reece James – £250,000 per week
3. Wesley Fofana – £200,000 per week
4. Christopher Nkunku – £195,000 per week
5. Enzo Fernandez – £180,000 per week
6. Marc Cucurella – £175,000 per week
7. Pedro Neto – £160,000 per week
8. Moises Caicedo – £150,000 per week
9. Cole Palmer – £130,000 per week
=10. Joao Pedro – £120,000 per week
=10. Tosin Adarabioyo – £120,000 per week
=11. Ben Chilwell – £100,000 per week
=11. Levi Colwill – £100,000 per week
=11. Mykhailo Mudryk – £100,000 per week
=11. Liam Delap – £100,000 per week
=11. Nicolas Jackson – £100,000 per week
16. Benoit Badiashile – £90,000 per week
17. Robert Sanchez – £60,000 per week
=18. Carney Chukwuemeka – £50,000 per week
=18. Trevoh Chalobah – £50,000 per week
=20. Romeo Lavia – £45,000 per week
=20. Malo Gusto – £45,000 per week
=22. Deivid Washington – £40,000 per week
=22. Axel Disasi – £40,000 per week
=22. Gabriel Slonina – £40,000 per week
=25. David Fofana – £30,000 per week
=25. Andrey Santos – £30,000 per week
27. Renato Veiga – £25,000 per week
28. Aaron Anselmino – £15,000 per week
29. Caleb Wiley – £12,000 per week
30. Alfie Gilchrist – £10,000 per week
31. Tyrique George – £7,500 per week
32. Josh Acheampong – £5,000 per week
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Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
Fireworks/ flares
Radios or power banks
Laser pointers
Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
Sharp objects
Political flags or banners
Bikes, skateboards or scooters
Spec%20sheet
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Company%20profile
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